bii Mr. Claude Grant in South Africa. 19 



or stump to devour; I have never seen it aliasing small 

 birds. The flight is very Harrier-like, but never long- 

 sustained, the bird generally hawking over a small stretch 

 of ground and then pitching down for a short spell ; often, 

 how ever, it rises to a great height and circles about after the 

 manner of Buteo jakal. When seen from below, the pattern 

 of the wings and tail is most striking and the bird appears far 

 larger than it actually is. The cry is a long drawn out 

 whistle, not unlike one call of the Kestrel, and is uttered 

 both on the wing and when sitting, especially when the two 

 birds are far apart. I could learn nothing from the natives 

 as to its breeding-habits. 



The soft parts of the adult are : — ^ . Irides dark brown ; 

 bill black; cere, round nostrils, and gape pale fleshy; rest of 

 bare skin on head and base of lower mandible lemon-yellow ; 

 legs and toes lemon-yellow. $ . Irides brown; bill black ; 

 cere, lores, base of lower mandible, and all bare skin on 

 rest of head lemon-yellow ; legs and toes dirty yellow.] 



563. Serpextarius serpextarius. 



Tv. Pietersburg, Feb. (2). 



['' Thlami " of the Basutos. 



The Secretary-Bird is by no means an uncommon species, 

 but in most localities is very wild. I have observed it in 

 Namaqualand, where I am told by the natives and residents 

 that it breeds, placing the nest on the top of large bushes, 

 generally the " Taai-bosch " ; in Zululaud especially near 

 Esliowe ; in the S.E. and N, Transvaal; while I saw a single 

 pair at Coguno, luhambane district, and another on the flats 

 near Beira. It is at all times of the year found in pairs 

 and generally frequents open country. The walk is slow and 

 majestic, the bird at first sight being often mistaken for a 

 Crane. When followed it often breaks into a sort of amble 

 with the wings slightly raised ; this is also done before taking 

 to flight. The flight is slow with a steady beat of the large 

 wings, the legs being held back, but not close under the tail. 

 It generally keeps close to the ground, and after several beats 

 of the wings, a glide accompanied by a slight twisting of the 



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