THE SECRETARY FALCON. 43 
dropped, and the bird laid open his skull with 
one stroke of her beak. 
This singular bird may easily be tamed, and 
it becomes very domestic and familiar. If se- 
verely pinched with hunger, it will then devour 
ducklings and chickens ; yet, if well fed, it will 
live with the poultry on amicable terms, and 
when it sees any of them quarreling, will run 
to part the combatants. Unlike all the rest of 
the feathered race, these birds always strike 
forward with their legs when they fight. 
