HARPY, a large diurnal bird of prey, so named after the mythological monster of the classical poets,—the Thrasaetus harpyia of modern ornithologists,—an inhabitant of the warmer parts of America from Southern Mexico to Brazil. Though known for more than two centuries, its habits have come very little under the notice of naturalists, and what is said of them by the older writers must be received with some suspicion. A cursory inspection of the bird, which is not unfrequently brought alive to Europe, its size, and its enormous bill and talons, at once suggest the vast powers of destruction imputed to it, and are enough to account for the stories told of its ravages on mammals, —sloths, fawns, peccaries, and spider-monkeys. It has even been asserted to attack the human race. How much of this is fabulous there seems no means at present of determining, but some of the statements are made by veracious travellers—D’Orbigny and Tschudi. It is not uncommon in the forests of the isthmus of Panama, and Mr Salvin says (Proc. Zool. Society, 1864, p. 368) that its flight is slow and heavy. Indeed its Owl-like visage, its short wings and soft plumage, do not indicate a bird of very active habits, but the weapons of offence with which, as above stated, it is armed, show that it must be able to cope with vigorous prey. Its appearance is sufficiently striking—the head and lower parts, except a pectoral band, white, the former adorned with an erectile crest, the upper parts dark grey banded with black, the wings dusky, and the tail barred; but the huge bill and powerful scutellated legs most of all impress the beholder. The precise affinities of the Harpy cannot be said to have been determined. By some authors it is referred to the Eagles, by others to the Buzzards, and by ...