the

Fig. 110.-The Swallow-tailed Kite.

carries it off to devour it in the air, as represented in the

figure.

Fig. 111. The common Buzzard.

225. As the Hawks may be regarded as an inferior kind of Falcon, so the Buzzards may be considered as having a similar relation to the Eagles. In their flight they have neither the soar and swoop of the Falcons and Eagles, the arrow-like dash of the Hawks, nor the winding sweep of the Kites; but they sail along easily and rapidly in quest of their prey, which is much like that of the Kites and Hawks. The common Buzzard, Fig. 111,

is found in the wooded countries of Europe, and the bordering countries of Asia, and also in the fur countries of North America. There are several other species of Buzzards in this country.

226. We now come to the second great family of the Raptores-the Vultures. You have seen that the birds of the Falcon family have for their office, in the general economy of nature, to keep within bounds the number of small birds and quadrupeds, and that their head-quarters are chiefly in the cold and temperate regions. The Vulture tribe, on the other hand, have for their office to cleanse the earth from the dead bodies of animals that have died from various causes, and their head-quarters are chiefly between the tropics. Still, they are, for the most part, inhabitants of mountainous regions, some of them dwelling on the confines of perpetual snow. They descend, however, to the warm regions below in search of their food. Vultures devour bodies that Hyenas and Jackals could not reach; for none but birds can reach carcasses that are in the midst of the dense and tangled forests of the tropics, or on the steep sides of their Alpine ranges.

227. The distinguishing characteristic in the appearance of the Vultures is the absence of feathers on the head and neck, while round the bottom of the latter there is a ruff of soft feathers in a loose fold of skin, within which the bird withdraws its neck, and even the greater part of its head, when, in a semi-torpid state, as motionless as a statue, it digests the food with which it has gorged itself. This absence of feathers on the head and neck is an example of adaptation, for if they were upon this part of the body they would become exceedingly foul by contact with the carrion on which the Vulture feeds. The whole plumage of this bird is deficient in the neat and regular appearance of that of the Falcon family, and yet it can not be called a filthy animal, for it washes itself often, and spreads out its wings to the sun to be dried.

228. The Condor of the Andes, Fig. 112, is the most remarkable of the Vultures in regard to size and strength,

Fig. 112. The Condor.

and the height to which it soars. It is about four feet long, and the expanse of its wings measures nine or ten feet; it is said to have reached in some cases even thirteen feet. Its habitual residence is ten or fifteen thousand feet above the level of the sea, and it is often seen soaring much higher than this. Besides feeding on carrion, it will often attack lambs and young goats, and when two are together, they will attack so formidable an animal as the Llama, or even the Puma.

229. The bird commonly called the Turkey Buzzard belongs to the Vulture family. It inhabits a great range of country, being found in all the warmer parts of this continent. It lives on all sorts of food. It sucks the eggs and devours the young of many species of birds, and will even eat the dead bodies of its own species. It

is daily seen in the streets of the southern cities acting the part of a scavenger. I once saw two of them, near the market in Charleston, quarreling for the possession of the entrails of an animal.

230. Some of the Vultures approach the Eagle in their form and habits. This is the case with the Bearded Vulture of the Alps, Fig. 113. It has this name from the

Fig. 113.-Bearded Vulture of the Alps.

long hair-like feathers with which each nostril is covered. As in the Eagles, the head, neck, and legs are covered with feathers, but in the characters of the eye, beak, and talons it is like the Vultures. Besides carrion, it feeds on the smaller quadrupeds which it takes as prey. It is very bold, and when very hungry will attack larger animals, and even men. It is found not only about the Alps, but also among the mountain ranges of Africa and Western Asia.

231. The Owls constitute the third family of the Raptores. They are the only birds of prey which are nocturnal in their habits, and all their peculiarities are adaptations to these habits. These I will notice. The eyes are very large, with widely opening pupils, so as to ad

mit a great deal of light; they are also surrounded with a disk of feathers of a light color, which serves to direct the light, striking it in upon the eye. The nictitating membrane is very conspicuous, it being needed to shut out some of the light in broad day; to open its eyes widely then, and without the covering of this membrane, would dazzle the Owl exceedingly. Its head is very large and round, which is owing mostly to some cells that are connected with the organ of hearing, rendering that sense very acute; this is of essential service to it in taking its prey by night. Owls are the only birds that have an external ear, § 206. It is covered by feathers, and in some species by a sort of lid, which the bird can open or shut at pleasure.

232. The plumage of the Owls is very peculiar. It is downy, partly to keep them warm, but mostly to enable them to approach their prey noiselessly. Their flight is so noiseless that they seem borne along on the air like a tuft of down. The food of the larger species consists of hares, rabbits, fawns, birds, etc., and that of the smaller, of mice, rats, moles, small reptiles, and the larger insects. They take these either by night or in the twilight; and we find this family most abundant in those portions of the globe where the twilight is most prolonged-the cold and temperate regions. There are some aberrant species in which the habits are diurnal more than nocturnal, and, consequently, the characteristics mentioned are not fully developed in them. The typical species, in which the development of these peculiarities is complete, scarcely move during the day. They remain at rest upon their perch, with eyes half closed, and an amusing air of gravity; and when aroused in any way they do not fly off, but raise themselves up, and assume grotesque attitudes, making ludicrous motions.

233. The Barn Owl, Fig. 114 (p. 138), is widely dif fused through the temperate regions of Europe and this country. It is a very useful animal in destroying rats