/ 



THE SECEBTAEY BIRD. 



645 



i 



■ in Africa, was several times a witness of its voracity. One 

 J he had killed a couple of buffaloes, and, after having had 

 *iU cut up, caused the quarters 



t meat to be hung to dry in the 

 I m ; they were soon assailed by a 

 /.ock of these Vultures, which 

 carried away the pieces of meat in 

 spite of the numerous gunshots 

 with which they were greeted. On 

 another occasion, having killed 

 three zebras at some distance from 

 >his camp, he went to find a waggon 

 'to carry them away ; on his return 

 he found nothing but the bones 

 remaining, round which hundreds 

 , jf Vultures were hovering. 

 * The Oricou is of somewhat con- 



■ ierable size ; it is about four feet 

 nd three-quarters in length, and 



the spread oi its wings measures 



as much as three yards and a half. It builds its nest among 



inaccessible steep rocks. 



Lastly, the Chinese Vulture (Vultur leuconotus), which is about 

 the size of a Turkey, is of a dirty brownish black on the bodj'-, and 

 white about the shoulders ; it is very common in the southern 

 portions of the Celestial Empire. 



The Serpent-eaters {Gypogeranus, Illiger). 



This family comprehends but one single species, the Secrelary 

 Bird, which in its organisation seems allied to the Waders. 



The Secretary Bird ( Gypogeranus serpentarms), Fig. 306, 

 has a widely-opening bill, very crooked and very powerful; a j^ro- 

 jecting superciliary arch ; feathered legs ; tarsi very long, and 

 covered, as well as the toes, with large and hard scales. The tail 

 is tapering, and the two middle feathers are longer than the others. 

 The wings, which are short and provided with bony protuberances, 

 form most destructive weapons, which the bird uses with much 



