70 THE SECRETARY BIRD. 



her mate, the upper parts of her body a;nd wings being hardly so rich a tint as in the male 

 bird, and covei'ed with numerous little white spots, caused by the white hue which is found 

 on the base of each feather. Tlie primaries and rectrices are of a lighter brown, and colored 

 with ti'ansverse dark bai's, and the under surface of the body is gray-white, also barred trans- 

 versely. These hues are also found in the young male, who has in addition a reddish edging 

 to the feathers of the back. 



The nest of the Sparrow Hawk is placed in some elevated spot, and contains three or four 

 eggs, rather variable in their marking, but always possessing a certain unmistakable character. 

 The ground tint of the egg is a grayish-white, slightly tinged with blue, and a number of bold 

 blotches of a very dark brown are placed upon the surface, sometimes scattered rather irregu- 

 larly, but generally fonning a broad ring round the larger end. The bird seldom troubles itself 

 to build a new nest, but takes possession of the deserted tenement of a crow or rook. 



The American Sparrow Haw"k(7'/«7??/««/7«s .y^arw^-m*') is another of similar size, and 

 of surpassing beauty of form and markings. It is known to every portion of North America. 

 Several varieties or geograpliical races are known. A characteristic of the Falcons is a certain 

 dash and boldness of action. They perch on some eminence, rock or tree, and scan closely the 

 ground below them. If a bird is discerned, the Falcon drops from his place and fearlessly 

 pursues his prey ; even diving impetuously into a thicket of tangled boughs and vines ; and 

 seldom fails of his aim. It is consistent in its character of the bold, high-spirited warrior. 

 The Sparrow Hawk will not eat food that it has not captured. It resembles closely the 

 Eui'opean kestrel. The manne)- of suspending itself in the air is exactly similar to that of 

 the "Windover," which movement is considered to be peculiar to the kestrels. The true 

 Falcons, we have seen, survey the ground leisurely, and lordly, from some eminence, or while 

 sweeping the air in graceful tiight, then stoop upon the prey with something like the velocity 

 and force of lightning. They are, indeed, the personification of grace and nobility, with 

 power and courage to match. 



As a general rule, the voices of all the rapacious birds are notable for the rough, strident 

 dissonance of the larger species, or for the piercing shrieks of the smaller birds. There is, 

 however, an exception to this rule, which is supposed at jsresent to be quite unique, in the 

 person of the Chanting Falcon of Africa. 



In a certain sense, even the scream of the eagle a,nd the shriek of the Falcon possess a sort 

 of wild music, which is sufficiently appropriate to the localities in which they dwell, but is 

 singularly out of place when the bird is seated on a percli or immured within the confines of 

 wiry walls. The Chanting Falcon, however, possesses a really musical voice, its very peculiar 

 notes having been compared to the thi-illing sounds of musical glasses. Le Vaillant tells us 

 that it sings in the morning and evening, and that its song lasts for about one minute, being 

 very frequently repeated in the course of an hour, and with very short intervals. It is at all 

 other times of the day a very shy and suspicious bird, but while singing is so occupied with 

 its task, that it can be approached, and, if desired, shot without much difiiculty. 



It is rather a large and powerful bird, being nearly two feet in length, and somewhat 

 resembling the jerfalcon in proportion. Its prey consists of hares, rabbits, and similar quad- 

 rupeds, and it also wages successful war against the larger birds, such as the bustard or 

 "pauw." The general color of this curious bird is grayish on the upper jiarts of the body, 

 and white on the lower parts, barred with brown streaks. 



The very remarkable Secretary Bird derives its name from the curious feathery plumes 

 which project from each side of its head, and bear a fanciful resemblance to i^ens carried 

 behind the ear by human secretaries. In allusion to the same peculiarity, the Arabs term the 

 bird Selazza Izn, or Thirty-ears. 



The Seci-etary Bird has long been a standing perj)lexity to systematic zoologists, having 

 been placed by some writers among the wading birds on account of its long legs, while others 

 consider its proper place to be among the hawks and other birds of prey. It is an inhabitant 



