686 
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
BULLETIN. 
DEVOURING THE HEAD. 
The bird removes the head, swallowing it entire. 
ent, being discarded. ‘The bird regurgitates 
pellets of indigestible matter after the manner 
of many other flesh-eating birds. 
It is as a snake-killer that the Secretary Bird 
has gained its greatest renown. The most 
fabulous tales are told of the feats of the bird 
as a slayer of venomous serpents, but there is no 
doubt that it bears a greatly exaggerated repu- 
tation in that respect. It does, however, destroy 
a great many of the cobras, vipers and other 
poisonous reptiles that infest certain portions of 
Africa. As the methods of attack and defense 
of the snake killer seemed to be so inaccurately 
reported and so greatly exaggerated, it was de- 
termined to attempt to learn something of the 
truth by experimenting with our captives. 
Some small first intro- 
duced, all of which were quickly dispatched, 
with little attempt at self-protection by the 
Secretaries. 
garter snakes were 
Next in order we offered an active 
blacksnake about four feet long, and then the 
birds seemed to realize that this was no mean 
antagonist. The male bird, warily approach- 
ing with wings outspread so that their slightest 
forward would carry him out of 
danger, found that dodging the vicious lunges 
movement 
of the combative snake was none too easy a task. 
In avoiding the reptile, the bird raised itself 
about two feet from the ground, its talons ex- 
tended to protect its abdomen. It did not make 
an attempt to receive the blow on its extended 
FINAL PREPARATION. 
Drawing the reptile under the foot. 
wing, as has been stated by various writers. 
This dodging and feinting continued for several 
minutes, the birds circling about their intended 
prey, watching for an opening, but keeping well 
out of danger. Suddenly, the right foot of the 
male bird shot out with great force, striking 
the reptile fairly on the head and_ partially 
stunning it. The snake was by no means in- 
capacitated, however, and the bird found it well 
to maintain its former caution. Soon another 
chance presented itself, and this time the first 
blow was followed very rapidly by several more, 
which sufficed to quiet the snake. 
In this case, the talons were too wide spread 
to pierce the scales of the victim’s head, the 
blow being delivered flat-footed. It would not 
go well with a Secretary Bird whose claws be- 
came fastened in the skin of a cobra! In such 
battles this bird displays another ability. It’s 
blows are in general very accurately delivered, 
and always are aimed at the victim’s head. If 
the snake’s position does not change, the crush- 
ing foot is sure to find its mark. 
When a snake is not too large to be swal- 
lowed entire, (and this seems to include every- 
thing under three or four feet), its head is seized 
by the bill of its captor, and being held down by 
the bird’s foot, while the sharp inner claw comes 
into play, the body is stretched and pulled a 
number of times, presumably for the purpose of 
rendering it less rigid. It is then swallowed 
without further ceremony, and usually head first. 
