246 TRAVELS IN 
this bird, as I ftiall foon have occafion to obr 
ferve. 
I muft allow myfelf another remark on what 
BufFon has faid. According to him, the fe- 
cretary differs from rapacious birds by its timid 
difpofition ; and this, he fays, is fo great that, 
when attacked by its enemies, it has no re- 
fource but flight. This is a miftake. They 
who have had opportunities of ftudying this 
bird know, that, living chiefly on reptiles, it 
is continually at war with them, feeking them, 
every where and attacking them with courage. 
In proof of this affertion, I appeal to Quer- 
hoent, and I fhall add the following fa£t, to 
which I w^as myfelf a witnefs. 
Defcending from a mountain to a deep bog, 
I perceived almpft perpei3.dicularly beneath me 
a bird rifmg and {looping very rapidly, with 
very extraordinary motions. Though I was 
well acquainted with the fecretary, and had 
killed feveral in the country of Natal, it was 
jmp( ffible for me in my vertical fituation to 
dlftinguilb this, though I fufpeded it from its 
actions : and having found means of approach- 
ing pretty near itj under cover of fome rocks, 
with- 
