AFRICA. 251 
lilm, looked attentively upon his paper, 
" ftretched out its neck, and ereded the fea- 
" thers of its head, as if it admired its figure. 
" It often came, with its wings raifed and its 
" head projeded, to obferve curioufly what 
was doing." 
The inftin£l and natural qualities of the fe- 
cretary are fufficiently interefting beyond quef- 
tion, not to oblige its hiftorian to impute to it 
an admiration of the art of drawing, and a fort 
of pride at feeing itfelf delineated. If that of 
Vofmaer came up to him, ftretching out its 
neck, and ere£ting its creft, I am perfuaded it 
was neither from curiofity nor rapture, but 
folely from a fort of habit common to many 
other birds. We know that moft, when do- 
mefticated and become familiar, love to have 
their heads fcratched ; that this tickling gives 
them pleafure ; and that they approach every 
one who comes near, ftretching out their necks 
by way of making known their defire. This 
may be daily feen Ia Europe in peacocks and 
parrots. 
The fecretary is to be met with in all the dry 
plains near the Cape. I have found it on the 
eaft, all along the coaft, in CafFraria, and even 
7 very 
