824 SECRETARY-BIRD 



described and figured, but not at all correctly, the species as found 

 also in the Philippine Islands, whither, if that be true, it must have 

 been brought. A better representation was given by D'Aubenton 

 (PI. Enl 721) : and in 1780 Buffon (Oiseaux, vii. p. 330) published 

 some additional information derived from Querhoent, saying also 

 that it was to be seen in some English menageries ; and the follow- 

 ing year Latham (Synops. i. p. 20, pi. 2) described and figured it 

 from three examples which he had seen alive in England. None 

 of these authors, however, gave the bird a scientific name, and the 

 first conferred upon it seems to have been that of Falco serpentarius, 

 inscribed on a plate bearing date 1779, by John Frederick Miller 

 (ML Nat. Hist, xxviii.), which plate appears also in Shaw's Cimelia 

 Physica (No. 28) and is a misleading caricature. In 1786 Scopoli 

 called it Otis secretarius thus referring it to the Bustards, 1 and 

 Cuvier in 1798 designated the genus to which it belonged, and of 

 which it still remains the sole representative, 2 Serpentarius. Suc- 

 ceeding systematists have, however, encumbered it with many 

 other names, among which the generic terms Gypogeranus and 

 Ophiotheres, and the specific epithets reptilivorus and cristatus, re- 

 quire mention here. 3 The Secretary-bird is of remarkable appear- 

 ance, standing nearly 4 feet in height, the great length of its legs 

 giving it a resemblance to a Crane or a Heron ; but the expert 

 will at once notice that, unlike those birds, its tibiae are feathered 

 all the way down. From the back of the head and the nape 

 hangs, loosely and in pairs, a series of black elongated feathers, 

 capable of erection and dilation in periods of excitement. 4 The 

 skin round the eyes is bare and of an orange colour. The head, 

 neck and upper parts of the body and wing-coverts are bluish-grey, 

 but the carpal feathers, including the primaries, are black, as also 

 are the feathers of the vent and tibiae, the last being in some 

 examples tipped with white. The tail-quills are grey for the 

 greater part of their length, then barred with black and tipped 

 with white ; but the two middle feathers are more than twice as 

 long as those next to them, and drooping downwards present a 

 very unique appearance. 



The habits of the Secretary-bird have been very frequently 



1 Curiously enough, Boddaert in 1783 omitted to give it a scientific name. 



2 Ogilby's attempt to distinguish three species (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835, pp. 

 104, 105) has met with no encouragement ; but examples from the north of the 

 equator are somewhat smaller than those from the south. 



3 The scientific synonymy of the species is given at great length by Drs. 

 Finsch and Hartlaub (Vogel. Ost-Afr. p. 93) and later by Dr. Sharpe (Cat. B. Brit. 

 Mus. i. p. 45) ; but each list has some errors in common. 



4 It is from the fancied resemblance of these feathers to the pens which a 

 clerk is supposed to stick above his ear that the bird's name of Secretary is really 

 derived. 



