The Zoologist — January, 1873. 8351 



Ovampo country : it also occurs about Lake Ngami. It spends most of its 

 time upon the ground, rarely, if ever, taking to the wing ; and if compelled 

 to do so, it is only for very short flights, as it seems to prefer seeking its 

 safety by means of its long legs, which are admirably adapted for running. 

 Its swiftness is wonderful, and it actually seems to skim the ground when 

 briskly pursued ; sometimes, however, this confidence in its legs costs the 

 bird its life, when the well-mounted horseman, aware of its terrestrial 

 propensities, steadily pursues it, until it becomes too much exhausted to avail 

 itself of its wings, and ultimately falls a prey to its enemy. When undis- 

 turbed it usually stalks about with considerable ease, grace, and dignity ; 

 but it is difficult to approach, as its long legs and neck, and its habit of 

 frequenting open and exposed localities, enable it to espy an enemy at a 

 great distance, and thus to guard against any sudden surprise. When seen 

 making steadily for a particular point, it may sometimes be successfully cut 

 off by pressing forward rapidly across its path, as on such occasions, instead 

 of deviating from its straight course, it trusts to its legs for outstripping its 

 pursuer by holding on at all risks, — in this respect resembling the ostrich. 

 The food of the secretary bird is very various, consisting of snakes, lizards, 

 tortoises, mice, rats, insects of almost every kind, and even young birds ; 

 but these latter, I believe, it only devours when disti'essed by hunger ; for 

 amongst the old Dutch colonists it was frequently kept in captivity as an 

 excellent mediator in the poultry-yard, as well as a pi'otector to the young 

 fowls from the attacks of snakes, rats, &c. Many snakes show fight when 

 attacked by the secretary bird ; and it is a most amusing and ludicrous sight 

 to witness a combat between such different opponents ; the bird, however, 

 invariably comes off victorious, after a short but desperate resistance : the 

 reptile hisses and darts at the secretary, which not only skilfully wards off 

 the attack, but, by a rapid succession of violent blows from its formidably- 

 armed wings, generally succeeds in a short time in prostrating its wily 

 enemy ; and sometimes a well-directed blow on the vertebrae of the snake at 

 once ends the combat. As soon as this is accomplished the bird dexterously 

 seizes its fallen enemy in its bill, and, after having well tossed it backwards 

 and forwards, finally puts an end to the death-struggle by transfixing the 

 brain with its powerful beak." — P. 34. 



One more quotation, and I have done; too happy if I have 

 succeeded in inducing others to purchase a work that has been so 

 amusing and instructive to myself. I cannot close the volume 

 without bearing my testimony to the skill and thoroughness with 

 which the Editor has performed his part of the task. It is fitting 

 that an energetic and enterprising man, like Andersson, should 

 have such a monument built to his memory by so able an architect 

 as Mr. Gurney. 



