SOUTHERM CARACARA. —JWih'tin- Ausrrrdis. 



The Southern Caracara is not quite so large as some of its brethren, but is quite as 

 useful and as repulsive a bird. Its length is about eighteen inches, and its colour a grey- 

 brown upon the back and upper surface, and paler beneath, diversified with reddish 

 bands. The thighs are of a banded rusty-red, and the tail is yellowish-grey. The cere 

 and feet are yellow, and the bill blue-grey. It is an omnivorous bird, eating vegetable or 

 animal substances with equal willingness, and is said to do damage to the potato crop by 

 digging into the cuttings before they have time to sprout. It may be that the bird is 

 urged by the desire of eating, not the potatoes, but the grubs which have taken uj) their 

 residence therein, and so confers a favour on the planter instead of doing him an injury. 

 This opinion is strengthened by an observation of Mr. Darwin, who says that he has seen 

 them by scores following the plough, like English rooks, and picking the worms and grubs 

 out of the furrows. 



The ordinary food of the Southern Caracara is vermin and putrid meat, and it is 

 believed never to kill either birds or quadrupeds. The flight is very different from that 

 of the vulture, being slow, heavy, and laborious, and the bird is never known to soar in 

 the vulturine fashion, neither does it generally perch on trees, but prefers to seat itself 

 upon stones, walls, and similar resting-places. 



The Southern Caracara is a most impudent and mischievous bird, as may be seen from 

 Mr. Darwin's admirable account : — " They actually made an attack on a dog that was lying 

 asleep close to one of the Jjarty, and the sportsmen had difficulty in preventing the 

 wounded deer from being seized before their eyes. It is said that several together wait 

 at the mouth of a rabbit-hole, and seize on the animal as it comes out. They were con- 

 stantly flying on board the vessel when in the harbour, and it was necessary to keep a 

 good look-out to prevent the leather from being torn from the rigging, and the meat and 

 game from the stern. These birds are very mischievous, and most acquisitive ; they will 

 pick up almost anything from the ground ; a large-sized glazed hat was carried nearly a 

 mile, as was a pair of heavy balls (bolas) used in catching cattle. Mr. Wilson experienced 

 during the summer a more severe loss in their stealing a small Kater's compass in a 

 red morocco case, which was never recovered. These birds are, moreover, quarrelsome, and 

 very passionate, tearing up the grass with their bills in rage. They build on the rocky 

 cliffs of the sea-coast, but only in the small islets, and not in the two main lands. This is a 



