The Secretary Bird 
is a most useful creature 
in Southern Africa, where 
it is found in numbers, 
it feeds almost entirely 
upon reptiles, and espe- 
cially upon snakes, which 
it destroys and devours ; 
heedless of their venomed 
fangs. When it meets 
with a snake, it strikes 
violently with its wings, 
and occasionally pecks 
sharply with its strong 
beak. 
It will then rise in the 
air, fly away for a few 
yards, and again return 
to the attack, con- 
tinuing this mode of 
action, until it has 
killed the snake ; which 
is then devoured. It 
will sometimes pick up 
the snake in its bill, soar 
to a great height, and 
then let the serpent drop 
on a hard rock, so as to 
kill it without trouble. 
It also feeds much on 
frogs and toads. 
It is called the Secre- 
tary bird, because the 
long feathers on its head, 
look like pens stuck be- 
hind the ears. 
The nest of the Secre- 
tary is built on the sum- 
mit of a lofty tree, and 
contains two or three 
large white eggs. 
