'
`Oh, what is a secretary bird?' interrupted Franz. `I thought a
secretary meant a man who wrote letters?'
`So it does, Franz, and the bird Ernest spoke of has curious long
feathers projecting from either side of its head, something like pens
stuck behind a man's ear; hence its name.
`It is perfectly true that it lives on snakes, lizards, toads, and
frogs, but, Ernest, I cannot give up my pigs; for, in the first place,
the secretary bird is an inhabitant of Southern Africa, and is never
seen in North America, neither does it ever fly in a flock; still, so
ravenous is its appetite, that, no doubt, even one or two, had they by
some miracle found themselves on Lake Superior, would have been able to
give a very good account of the deadly reptiles, and at least shared in
the glory of their extermination.'
My wife having gone to prepare dinner, we continued talking as we
rested in the shade of some rocks, near the serpent, for a
considerable time. The open air was welcome to us after our long
imprisonment; and we were, besides, desirous to drive off any birds of
prey who might be attracted to the carcase, which we wished to preserve
entire.
My boys questioned me closely on the subject of serpents in general;
and I described to them the action of the poison fangs; how they folded
back on the sides of the upper jaw, and how the poison-secreting
glands, and reservoir are found at the back and sides of the head,
giving to the venomous serpents that peculiar width of head which is so
unfailing a characteristic.
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