SECRETARY 
Falco Serpentarius. 
Secretary Vulture. 
Sagittarius. 
Secretaire. 
Slaangen-Vraater. 
Syst. Nat . col . GmeL 2 5©. 
Lath . 1 S 7 W. i. 20 . 17. 
Vosmaer-Monogr . 8 . 
Sonn. Voy . 87 . £. 5 0 . 
Spann Voy . l. 15 4. 
This very singular bird, although a native of Africa, has not long been 
known even at the Cape. They are found in the country, a few leagues 
from the shore; are taken young from the nest, reared, and much valued by 
the natives, for the purpose of destroying rats, toads, and serpents : the 
latter it will strike with its wings until it is disabled ; then seizing it by the 
tail, dashes it with great violence on the ground, which it repeats until the 
serpent is dispatched ; on which account they have obtained the name of 
Slaangen-Vraater, or Serpent Eater, by the natives. 
It is rather more than three feet high, when erect ; and being not only a 
new species, but so ambiguous in its form and habits, it has occasioned 
much uncertainty as to its class, in regard to what family it belongs. 
By the form of the bill, it appears to be rapacious,, and has been ranked 
with the Vulture ; yet it makes no use of this weapon, either in attack or 
defence; and its manner, instead of being sullen and cruel (the charac- 
teristic of the Vulture), is social, gentle, and inoffensive. It very soon be- 
comes familiar, expressing a grateful attachment and attention to the person 
who feeds it. 
From the extraordinary length of its legs, it might by diose unac- 
quainted with its habits be classed with the Waders; but it is most de- 
cidedly rapacious. Its strength and defence is in its legs ; and what is 
very remarkable, and observed in no other bird, is its power of striking 
forwards, never backwards. Dr. J. R. Foster has mentioned a circum- 
stance, which he says was supposed to be peculiar to this bird— that, shou c 
it by any accident break a leg, the bone would never unite agaLn 
