Feet and Lege 



379 



"When the snake strikes, the bird either evades the 

 blow, by skipping to one side or the other, jumping back- 

 ward, or springing into the air, or else, as frequently hap- 

 pens, he simply receives the venomous thrusts of liis 

 antagonist on the broad stiff feathers of the outer lialf 



Fig. 297. — Secretary Bird. 



of the long wing, with which he knocks the re])tile down, 

 following up the fall with a vigorous kick. His extreme 

 agility enables him in a veiy short time to bafHe and 

 overcome a snake of four or five feet in length, whereupon 

 he finallv seizes it near the head with his bill and hold- 



