from the colony of Natal in South-eastern Africa . 237 
6. Sagittarius secretarius (Scop.). Secretary Bird. 
Male. Eye very light brown; legs pinkish white. Bare 
about D’Urban, and exceedingly shy; stalk about when feeding- 
like the Bustards. The stomach of the specimen sent contained 
rats, locusts, lizards, and small snakes. The Secretary also feeds 
on moles. 
7. Polyboroides radiatus (Scop.). Rayed Gymnogene. 
Very small dark eye, iris nearly black; cere, skin round the 
eyes, and legs bright light yellow ; bill black. 
This bird principally frequents places where the grass has 
been burnt, stalking over the ground like the Bustard, and pick¬ 
ing up insects, which seem to be its chief food. The stomach of 
one specimen sent contained the remains of a blue-headed 
lizard. It does not take long flights. The legs of this bird 
bend backwards at the knee in an extraordinary manner, very 
much as if they were out of joint; whether the bird can bend 
them back at pleasure, I cannot say. 
[Mr. Ayres’s note of the colour of the iris in this species 
(which was also verified by a drawing which he sent me) is im¬ 
portant, as both Dr. A. Smith and Dr. Hartlaub describe the 
iris of this bird as yellow. 
The West African specimens sent to me by Mrs. Hinderer 
are stated to have had a “ bright purple” tint in the eye, which 
has not been noticed by Mr. Ayres. 
The late Dr. R. Vierthaler, who met with this species in Sen- 
naar, says that the cere and cheeks of the immature bird are red, 
but that the red fades immediately after death [vide ‘Naumannia’ 
for 1852). A slight tinge of red is sometimes traceable on these 
parts in the skins even of adult specimens, when first damped 
for mounting. 
The peculiarity of the position of the tarsus alluded to by 
Mr. Ayres was also mentioned to me some years since by M. 
Jules Verreaux, from whose description, I should suppose it to be 
only occasionally assumed at the will of the bird; be this as it 
may, the mechanism by which so curious a result is produced 
would seem to be Well worthy the attention of the anatomist, 
which, as far as I know, has not hitherto been directed to it.— 
J. H. G.] 
