Identifier: reptilesbirds00figu (find matches)
Title: Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Figuier, Louis, 1819-1894 Gillmore, Parker
Subjects: Reptiles Birds
Publisher: London : Cassell & Co.

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dition on the banks of the Rio Securia, in Bolivia, hemet with a Harpy of large size. The Indians who accompanied himpursued it, pierced it with two arrows, and gave it numerous blows onthe head. At length, thinking it was dead, they plucked off thegreater part of its feathers, and even the down also, placing itafterwards in their canoe. What was the surprise of the naturalistwhen the bird, recovered from its stupefaction, darted upon him, and,burying its claws in his arm, inflicted most dangerous wounds ! Theinterference of the Indians was necessary in order to rid him of hisantagonist. The Harpy inhabits the great forests situated on die banks of therivers of South America. Its food consists of agoutis, fawns, sloths,and especially monkeys. THE HARPY. 575 The Indians, who highly estimate warlike qualities, hold this birdin great respect. Its tail and wing feathers they use to adorn them-selves with on state occasions. The Jean le Blanc Eagle (CirccetusgaUicus)^ so called because its
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Fig. 254—The Harpy or Crested Eagle. plumage is principally white, has points of similarity to the Eagle, theSea Eagle, and the River Osprey. It is two feet in height, and itsspread of wings is five feet. It is very common all over Europe,except England, and is only too well known to the villagers on whosepoultry-yards it frequently levies heavy tax. It also feeds on moles,field-mice, reptiles, adders, and sometimes insects. It bears captivity 576 REPTILES AND BIRDS, very well. Buffon reared one which became tolerably familiar, butnever showed the least affection for those who tended it. Falcons properly so called (from/^/:v, a reaping-hook) are marvel-lously organised for rapine, and realise the ideal of a bird of prey.They have a short bill, bent from the base, with a very strong toothon each side of the upper mandible, with which an indentation corre-sponds in the lower portion. The wings of this bird are long andpointed, causing its flight to be at once powerful, rapid, and agil

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