The Crane Vulture inhabits Africa, from the Cape to fifteen degrees north latitude, and from the Red Sea to Senegal; it is also occasionally seen on the Philippine Islands. Such as are met with in Northern Africa are smaller than that we have just described, and are probably a different species. A glance at the engraving of this remarkable bird will convince our reader that its life must necessarily be passed almost entirely upon the ground. Mountains and woods it carefully avoids, and when desirous of flying it is compelled to run a short distance and then spring upwards, in order to get fairly on the wing; at first it moves heavily and with apparent difficulty through the air, but after a few strenuous efforts its flight becomes easy and regular, and it sweeps lightly and beautifully aloft, apparently without even moving its broad pinions: it finds itself, however, most at home upon the ground, and stalks over its surface with much dignity, the long Crane-like legs enabling it to walk for miles without fatigue; when in pursuit of prey it runs, with its body thrown forward, almost as rapidly as a Bustard. The Secretary Vultures live in pairs, each couple occupying a certain district, over which they often hunt for hours together, seeking their food among the grass that covers the plains. After having fully satisfied their hunger they retire to a quiet spot, and remain in a sort of dreamy apathy, until the business of digestion is accomplished. Should one of those extensive conflagrations break out by which the arid plains of Central Africa are so frequently cleared, these birds at once congregate in large numbers and hurry to the spot, in order to enjoy the rich feast thus afforded them. Keeping close to the line of fire, they seize upon and destroy the hosts of living things that are driven forth by the huge clouds of smoke, and thus spend whole hours retreating before the advancing fire, and contesting their prey with the devouring flames: so voracious are they that Le Vaillant assures us he found no fewer than twenty-one small tortoises, eleven lizards, three snakes, and a mass of grasshoppers, in the crop of a specimen he had killed; snakes of all kinds are the objects of their constant attacks, and the same author gives the following graphic account of an encounter between a Crane Vulture and one of the most deadly species of these formidable reptiles:--