THE SECRETARY FAtOOK. fi.f 



Description. 



THE SECRETARY FALCON. 



THIS bird, in its external appearance, bears 

 some resemblance both to the eagle and the 

 crane; having the head of the former, and some- 

 what the form of body of the latter. When 

 standing erect, the distance from the top of the 

 head to the ground is full three feet. The bill 

 is black, sharp, and crooked, like that of an 

 eagle ; and round the eyes there is a place bare 

 of feathers, and of a deep orange colour. The 

 upper eye-lids are furnished with strong bristles, 

 like eye-lashes. The plumage is for the most 

 part of a bluish ash-colour; and the ends of the 

 wings, the thighs, and vent, incline to black. 

 The tail is somewhat ash-coloured, except at the 

 end, which for above an inch is black, and then 

 tipped with white: the two middle feathers are 

 twice as long as any of the rest. The legs are 

 iong, and stouter than those of a heron ; the 

 claws are crooked and of a black colour. From, 

 the back of the head spring several long dark- 

 coloured feathers, that hang loose behind, like a 

 pendent crest, which the bird can erect or de- 

 press at pleasure. Le Vaillant remarks, that the 

 Dutch gave it the name of secretary, on account 

 of the bunch of quills behind its head: for in. 

 Holland, clerks, when interrupted in their writ- 

 ing, stick their pen in their hair behind their 

 right ear; and to this the tuft of the bird was 

 VOL. in. NO. xvii. i 



