176 CHARACTERS OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS 



Secretary -Birds. The only representative of the last group 

 of diurnal birds of prey is the well-known Secretary- Bird (Ser- 

 pentarius secretarius], which ranges from South Africa far north 

 along both sides of the continent. In general appearance it 

 looks like a modified eagle mounted on stilts, and may exceed 

 4 feet in height. The naturally long tail is made still longer 

 by the great extension of its middle pair of quills, and projecting 

 backward from the head on each side is a loose crest which, 

 suggesting a bundle of quill pens carried above the ear, has given 

 rise to the popular name. The plumage on the head, neck, and 

 front part of the body and wings is mostly light -grey, but the 

 top of the head, with the crests, the quills (except the middle pair 

 of the tail), the abdomen, and the tops of the legs, are much darker 

 in hue. 



Secretary- Birds feed on reptiles, small mammals, and game- 

 birds. 



I 



Order 13. DUCKS, GEESE, and FLAMINGOES (Anseres) 



In this large order the large bill is usually broad and flattened, 

 and the three front toes are united by a web. The young are 

 " precocious ", i.e. able to run about and feed themselves almost 

 at once, as is familiarly illustrated by the case of the duckling. 

 Species belonging to the order are found in all parts of the world. 



Ducks and Geese. These are short-legged birds with broad 

 straight bills and smooth plumage which easily sheds the water. 

 They are essentially adapted to an aquatic life, and their clumsy 

 movements on land are familiar to all. A common type is the 

 British Wild Duck (Anas boschas], from which our domesticated 

 varieties are derived. The brilliant colouring of the drake is 

 too familiar to need description. This species ranges over the 

 whole of the Northern Hemisphere. Shoveller Ducks are dis- 

 tinguished from other ducks by the peculiar shape of their un- 

 usually large bills. The Common Shoveller (Spatida clypeatd) 

 is a winter visitor in Britain. Among other British ducks, Teal 

 (Qnerqutdula quetta), Widgeon (Mareca penelope], and Eider 

 Ducks (Somateria mollissima) may be mentioned here. 



The remaining native ducks are : Pintail (Dafila acutd] ; Tufted Duck 

 (fitligula cristata); Pochard (F. ferina); Golden-eye Duck (F. glaiicioti) ; Scaup 

 (F. mart/a); Ferruginous Duck (F. myroca); Long-tailed Duck (Harelda glatialis); 



