62 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIMALS.—CLASS II. AVES. 
a 
pared with the rest. Iam of opinion that few breed to the south of the 
State of Maine.” 
We once witnessed an attempt of this bird to capture a common gray squir- 
rel, that was quite interesting to the beholder, but certainly not to the 
animal. While on a collecting excursion, a few miles from Boston, as we 
were seated beneath a huge oak, observing the movements of some small 
birds, we heard the barking of a squirrel ; and, while looking for his where- 
abouts, we suddenly heard a whistling sound as of a body falling through the 
air, and, as quick as thought, a Goshawk struck on the limb, on the spot 
where, a second before, the squirrel had been seated : luckily for the squirrel, 
the hawk missed his aim, the animal giving a sudden dodge beneath the 
limb the moment the hawk appeared. All who are acquainted with the 
habits of this quadruped know that it is very successful in dodging behind 
the limb of a tree, and hugging it closely. The hawk sat a few moments, 
apparently surprised at his disappointment, when, suddenly launching into 
the air, he espied it beneath the limb, hugging for dear life. As soon as he 
had moved, the squirrel turned adroitly on the limb, still keeping it between 
itself and its enemy. After several trials, the hawk, always alightine and 
remaining perched on the limb a few seconds, succeeded, by a dexterous 
feint, in securing his prey, when, on the instant, we fired, bringing the hawk 
and his victim to the ground. The hawk dropped dead; but the squirrel, 
after lying on the ground a moment, got up, and staggered off beneath a 
pile of rocks, and we neither saw nor heard anything more of it. 
Of the Gypogeranine, the Secretary Buzzard is the type. This singu- 
lar bird is termed, in allusion to its habits, Slangen-vreeter, or Serpent- 
vater, by the Dutch colonists of the Cape, and its Hottentot name has the 
same meaning; snakes, in fact, constitute its principal food, and, in the 
attack and defence, it displays the greatest coolness and address. 
“The Slangen-vreeter,” says Sparrman, “has a peculiar method of seiz- 
ing upon serpents. When it approaches them, it always takes care to hold 
the point of one of its wings before it, in order to parry off their venomous 
bites: sometimes it finds an opportunity of spurning and treading upon its 
antagonist, or else, of taking it up on its pinions, and throwing it into the 
air. When, by this method of proceeding, it has at length wearied out. its 
adversary, and rendered it almost senseless, it then kills it, and swallows it 
without danger. Though I have very frequently seen the Secretary Bird, 
both in its wild and tame state, yet I have never had an opportunity of see- 
ing this method it has of catching serpents; however, I can by no means 
harbor any doubt concerning it, after having had it confirmed to me by so 
many Hottentots as well as Christians, and since this bird has been observed 
at the menagerie at the Hague to amuse and exercise itself in the same 
