SOUTHERN CARACARA . — Milvago Australis, 
The Southern Caracara lives in America, and feeds almost entirely on 
carrion. It is an impudent bird, as may be seen by Mr. Darwin’s account. 
“ They actually made an attack on a dog that was lying asleep close to one of the 
party, and the sportsmen had difficulty in preventing the wounded deer from 
being seized before their eyes. It is said that several together wait at the 
mouth of a rabbit-hole, and seize on the animal as it comes out. They were 
constantly flying on board the vessel when in the harbour, and it was necessary 
to keep a good look-out to prevent the leather from being torn from the rigging, 
and the meat and game from the stern. These birds are very mischevious, and 
most acquisitive ; they will pick up almost anything from the ground ; a large 
sized glazed hat was carried nearly a mile, as was a pair of heavy balls (bolas) 
used in catching cattle. Mr. Wilson experienced during the summer a more 
severe loss in their stealing a small Kater’s compass in a red morocco case, which 
was never recovered. These birds, are, moreover, quarrelsome, and very passionate, 
tearing up the grass with their bills in rage. They build on the rocky cliffs of 
the sea-coast, but only in the small islets, and not in the two main lands.” It is 
not quite so large as some of its brethren, but is quite as useful a bird. Its 
length is about eighteen inches, and its colour a greyish-brown upon the back and 
upper surface, and paler beneath, with reddish bands. The thighs are of a 
banded rusty-red, and the tail is yellowish-grey. 
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