SECRETARY-BIRD 59 



and without exception they do well in captivity. Al- 

 though having enormous wings, they take the greatest 

 care of them in order not to injure their feathers. The 

 Eagles, on the contrary, batter themselves about, 

 breaking their feathers, and not infrequently the 

 wings themselves. 



All these birds normally attain a great age, though 

 just how long they live is not known. They are sup- 

 posed to have but a single mate, and instances have 

 been recorded of birds that remained alone for the rest 

 of their lives, after having been deprived of their 

 mates. Year after year they return to the same nest, 

 adding to it each season until it becomes an enormous 

 mass of trash and sticks. When possible, they build 

 in inaccessible places, along the sides of steep preci- 

 pices or in the tops of high trees. 



The Eagle has been taken from time immemorial 

 as a symbol of strength, and is used emblematically 

 by nearly all civilised nations. The North American 

 Indians paid great reverence to this bird, the braves 

 when going to war wearing bonnets with Eagle 

 feathers stuck in them and otherwise decorating them- 

 selves with the plumage. 



One of the most remarkable of the Accipitres is the 

 Secretary-bird, because of the very great length of 

 legs, the long tail, and the long feathers which spring 

 from the back of the head and neck. These last, from 

 their fancied resemblance to a quill pen behind the ear 

 of a secretary, or scribe, have given the bird its name. 

 A native of South Africa, this bird is held in high re- 

 gard there from the fact that its favourite food is 

 snakes, many of which are poisonous, and conse- 



