;380 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



tril)e, appears an indolent bird. He will stand for hours to- 

 gether on a branch of a tree, or on the top of a house, with his 

 wings drooping, or after rain, spreading them to catch the rays 

 of the sun. But when in quest of prey, he may be seen soaring 

 aloft on pinions which never flutter, and at the same time 

 carry him with a rapidity equal to that of the golden eagle. 

 Scarcely has he espied a piece of carrion below, when, folding 

 his broad wings, he descends with such speed as to produce a 

 whistling sound, resembling that of an arrow cleaving the air. 



The gallinazos when taken young can be so easily tamed 

 that they will follow the person who feeds them for many miles. 

 D'Orbigny even mentions one of these birds that was so 

 attached to its master that it accompanied him, like a dog, 

 wherever he went. During a serious illness of its patron, the 

 door of the bedroom having been left open, the bird eagerly 

 flew in, and expressed a lively joy at seeing him again. 



The Harpy Eagle (Thrasaetus havpyia) is one of the finest 

 of all the rapacious birds. The. enormous development of 

 ]iis beak and legs, and his consequent strength and power in 

 mastering his prey, correspond with his bold and noble bearing 

 and the fierce lustre of his eye. HivS whole aspect is that of 

 formidably organised power, and even the crest adds much to 

 liis terrific appearance. ' Among many singular birds and cu- 

 riosities,' says Mr. Edwards, in his 'Voyage up the Amazon,' 

 ' that were brought to us, was a young harpy eagle, a most fero- 

 cious looking character, with a high crest and a beak and talons 

 in correspondence. He was tin-ned loose into the garden, and 

 before long gave us a sample of his powers. 

 With erected crest and flashing eyes, utter- 

 ing a frightful shriek, he pounced upon a 

 young ibis, and quicker than tliought had 

 torn his reeking liver from his body. The 

 whole animal world there was wild with fear.' 

 The harpy attains a greater size than 



HARPY EAGLE. ^ •" tt i • n • 1 • 



the common eagle. He chietly resides m 

 the damp lowlands of tropical America, where Prince Maximilian 

 of Neu Wied met with him only in the dense forests, perched 

 on the high branches. The monkey, vaulting by means of liis 

 tail from tree to tree, mocks the pursuit of the tiger-cat and 

 boa, but woe to him if the harpy spies him out, for seizing him 



