Cassell's Book of Birds, Volume 2 :: CATCHERS ( Captantes ). Continued.

CATCHERS ( Captantes ). Continued.

THE HAWKS.

THE HAWKS (Accipitres) are a group of birds that rival the Falcons in rapacity, but are entirely without those qualities popularly supposed to lend a certain nobility to the murderous propensities of their more favoured relatives.

The HAWKS are recognisable by their compact body, long neck, and small head, their short rounded wings, very long tail, and high tarsi; the toes vary considerably in size. The beak is less vaulted and more compressed at its sides than in the Falcons; the tooth-like appendages are placed further back, and are less distinctly developed, and the bare circle around the eye is entirely wanting. The plumage is thick and soft, usually dark blueish grey above, and of a lighter shade upon the lower parts of the body, the latter being often darkly striped. Old birds of both sexes are alike in plumage, but the young differ considerably from their parents. The members of this family are found throughout the whole world, some species being confined to a comparatively limited extent of country, whilst others are to be met with everywhere. All frequent woods and forests, from whence they sally forth to find their food in the fields and valleys of the surrounding country. Hawks seldom fly to any great altitude; they move with great rapidity, altering their course at once with the utmost facility, and passing in and out among the branches and bushes with the dexterity of a Martin; they run swiftly upon the ground, assisting their progress with their wings. Their eyrie is usually built upon high trees, and is by some species prettily decked with green twigs, which are renewed from time to time. The eggs are numerous, and during the period of incubation the parent birds will fiercely attack even men should they attempt to molest the brood. Some few species have been trained for hunting purposes, but these attempts have almost always proved unsuccessful.

THE LAUGHING HAWK.

The LAUGHING HAWK (Herpetotheres cachinnans) is a South American bird, to which we have assigned the first place, inasmuch as in some respects it resembles the Falcons; the name it bears has been given to it on account of the very peculiar sound of its loud and resonant voice. Its distinguishing characteristics are its comparatively large head, which is profusely covered with feathers, and the robust development of the hinder parts of its body. The wings when closed reach to the middle of the tail, their primaries are narrow and pointed, the third and fourth quills being longer than the rest; the tail is long, the exterior feathers somewhat shortened; the tarsi are of moderate height and strength, the toes small, and the claws remarkably short and thick; the beak is short, much compressed at its sides, and terminates in a short hook; the lower mandible is shallow, and bifurcated at its tip; the region of the eye is bare, and the body covered with long-pointed and strong-shafted feathers. In size the Laughing Hawk resembles its European congeners; the plumage is pale yellow from the top of the head to the nape, each feather having a black shaft; the bridles, nape, and cheeks are black, the mantle brown, the feathers being bordered with a lighter shade; the entire lower portion of the body and a stripe upon the neck are white, which changes into red upon the breast and legs; the upper part of the tail is black, its under portion whitish yellow, tipped with white and ornamented with six or seven grey stripes; the inner web of the brown quills which form the wings is shaded from reddish yellow to white, and edged with a delicate irregular brown line; the eye is reddish yellow, the beak black, the cere and legs are yellow.

THE DOUBLE-TOOTHED HAWK.

The DOUBLE-TOOTHED HAWK (Harpagus bidentatus) resembles the Falcons in its general form, but is recognisable by its comparatively small head, long broad tail, and short wings. The beak is very peculiar in its construction, the upper portion being excised immediately behind the hook at its tip, and the lower mandible, which terminates abruptly, has near its extremity two sharp teeth at each side; the third quill of the wings is longer than the rest, the tarsi are short, and of the same length as the toes. This bird, of which there are two species, is only found in South America.

The Guaviao, as the Double-toothed Hawk is called by the Brazilians, is thirteen and a half inches long and twenty-six inches broad; the wing measures eight inches, and the tail six inches. The plumage upon the upper part of the body is blackish grey, embellished with a metallic lustre; the under portions are reddish brown, with narrow white stripes upon the throat; the rump is also white, the quills of the wings are brown, ornamented with an irregular border, which is pure white upon the inner web; the tail is black above, brown beneath, and marked with three broad and crooked lines; the eye is light carmine, the cere greenish yellow, the beak blackish grey, and the feet of a beautiful reddish yellow. The plumage of the young is brown above and white beneath, delicately marked with undulating brown lines of various shades.

THE SPARROW HAWK.

The SPARROW HAWK (Nisus communis) is the European representative of a very numerous group distributed throughout the world. These birds (see Coloured Plate IX.) are distinguished by their elongated body, small head, and delicate beak, furnished with a very sharp hook at the extremity of the upper mandible; the wings are short, tail long, and short at its tip; the tarsi are high and weak, the toes long and slender, and armed with extremely sharp claws. The plumage varies but little in its colour. This species is about one foot long, and two broad; the wing measures seven inches and two-thirds, and the tail six inches; the female is about three inches longer and five inches broader than her mate. In the full-grown bird the entire upper portion of the body is blackish grey, the under parts are white, marked with undulating reddish brown lines; the shafts of the feathers are also of the latter hue, and brighter in colour in the male than in the female; the tail is tipped with white, and has five or six black stripes. In the young birds the upper portion of the body is a greyish brown, beneath the throat white, striped with brown; the belly and legs are ornamented with irregular spots, the beak is blue, the cere yellow, the iris golden yellow, and the feet pale yellow.

The Sparrow Hawk inhabits the whole of Europe and Central Asia; it is stationary in some parts of the latter continent, but migrates from Europe as winter approaches, and seeks a warmer climate in Northern Africa or India, appearing, according to Jerdon, in the latter country about the beginning of October, and leaving about February or March. This species makes its home principally in woodland districts, preferring such regions as are mountainous or hilly, and is more numerous in the central portions of Europe than in the extreme south. Despite the shortness of its wings, the Sparrow Hawk flies with ease and rapidity, but when upon the ground it hops in the most ungainly manner. Towards such of its feathered brethren as are larger than itself it exhibits no trace of fear, and pounces upon its prey with a dexterity and courage that will bear comparison with the demeanour of the noblest of its congeners. In these encounters, the female bird has decidedly the advantage over her mate, and can bear the brunt of a battle to which his strength would be quite inadequate. Instances have been recorded in which this Hawk has been so eager in the pursuit of its prey as to follow the victim even into a house or wagon, and we lately heard of one darting into a railway carriage when in rapid motion in order to secure its prize. Birds of all sizes, including domestic fowls, are boldly attacked; Naumann mentions having even seen a Sparrow Hawk swoop down and fasten itself upon the back of a Heron. Small quadrupeds are devoured by these birds in great numbers, and they will sometimes stoop upon hares, but whether this is done with any hope of overcoming them, or merely for pleasure, we have not been able to ascertain. In so much dread is this formidable enemy held by the objects of its attack, that on its approach some birds will throw themselves as though dead upon the ground; others will make for their hiding-place with such devious turnings from the direct path as baffle even the skilful steering of their pursuer, and then dart into the inmost recesses of some protecting bush, and thus place themselves for the time in safety. Such of the swift-flying smaller birds as do not hold the Sparrow Hawk in dread, avenge themselves by following it boldly with loud cries whenever it appears; and so annoying does this reception prove to the tyrant of the woodland, that on the approach of some species of Swallows, whose flight is too rapid to admit of revenge, it will soar at once high into the air and beat a hasty retreat to its forest glades. The prey of the Sparrow Hawk is usually conveyed to some quiet spot to be devoured at leisure; the large quills are then pulled out and the carcase devoured piecemeal, the indigestible portions, such as bones, feathers, and hair, being subsequently ejected from the mouth, collected into large balls called castings; it also frequently destroys the eggs and young of such birds as make their nests upon the ground. The voice of this species is but seldom heard except during the breeding season. The nest, which is placed in some thicket at no great elevation, is built of small branches of fir, birch, or pine trees, and the slight hollow that forms the bed for the young is lined with down from the body of the female parent. The eggs, from three to five in number, are large, and very various both in shape, colour, and size; the shell is thick, smooth, white, or greyish or greenish white, and more or less distinctly marked with spots of reddish brown or greyish blue, sometimes lying thickly together and sometimes very sparsely scattered over the surface. The female alone sits upon the eggs, and testifies the utmost solicitude and affection for her young brood, retaining her seat upon the nest in spite of repeated alarms, and doing battle with all intruders. Both parents seek the food necessary for the young family, though the female only is capable of preparing morsels delicate enough for the tender beaks of the nestlings, who, we are told, occasionally perish from hunger should they lose their mother and be left to the more clumsy ministrations of the male bird. The young are fed and instructed long after they have left the nest. Most numerous are the dangers to which the European Sparrow Hawk is exposed, for not only men, but all such birds as are more powerful than itself pursue it with unextinguishable hatred and animosity; in some parts of Asia, on the contrary, it is regarded with favour, owing to the facility with which it can be trained to hunt the smaller kinds of game, particularly Quails; in the southern districts of the Ural, according to Eversmann, large numbers caught in the summer are trained for this purpose, and after having been employed during the autumn are again let loose in order to avoid the difficulty of keeping them through the winter months. The female alone is reared for the chase, the male, when captured, being allowed to fly again, as useless. In India this bird and another species are regarded with equal favour, and are employed by the native falconers in the pursuit of Partridges, Quails, Snipes, Pigeons, and Minas.

THE GOS HAWK (Astur palumbarius).

THE TRUE HAWK, OR GOS HAWK.

The TRUE HAWK, or GOS HAWK (Aster palumbarius) resembles the Sparrow Hawk in many of its features, but differs from that bird in the compactness of its body, and in the strength of its beak; the tail is rounded, the feet powerful, and the plumage peculiarly marked. This Hawk is about one foot and three-quarters in length, and three feet and a half across; the wing measures twelve inches, and the tail eight and a half; the female is five inches longer and six inches broader than her mate. The plumage upon the upper part of the body is blackish brown, more or less shaded with greyish blue; the lower portions are white, the shafts of the feathers being brownish black, as are the undulating lines with which they are ornamented; the beak is greyish brown, the cere, eyes, and feet pale yellow. In young birds the upper portion of the body is brown, each feather being bordered and spotted with reddish yellow; the lower parts are of a reddish shade, and at a later period of a reddish white, marked with longitudinal brown streaks; the beak, eyes, cere, and feet are paler than in the adult.

The habitat of the Gos Hawk is as extensive as that of the Sparrow Hawk; it is found in great numbers in northern countries, and in some districts may be regarded as stationary; in Southern Europe it is extremely rare, and, according to our own observation, is seldom met with in Northern Africa or India. Wooded country, interspersed with fields and valleys, afford it the localities it prefers, and it is much more numerous in extensive forests than in comparatively small woods. In its habits this species is eminently unsocial, living almost invariably alone, except during the breeding season; its disposition is cunning, wild, and violent, and its movements active and powerful. When upon the wing, it may be seen hovering from time to time, and then rushing down upon its prey with noisy impetuosity; in making a swoop it cleaves the air with great force, the tail at these times being partly outspread. In the air the Gos-Hawk is completely master of its movements, and steers its course with imposing majesty; whilst upon the ground, on the contrary, its gait is awkward and ungainly, its step being a sort of lame hop. Its voice consists of a variety of sounds, but is rarely heard; it is loud, resonant, and extremely unpleasing. So rapacious is this formidable bird, that its destructive attacks are repeated almost without intermission during the entire day on birds of all sizes, and even rabbits, squirrels, and water-fowl may be numbered among its victims, the prey being seized with equal facility either when running, flying, or swimming; some of the smaller quadrupeds are so completely paralysed with fear at the approach of their destroyer that they crouch down incapable of moving a limb, while the Hawk swoops down upon them with wings almost closed and talons outspread, producing as it descends a rushing sound, that may be heard above a hundred paces from the spot. Remarkable anecdotes are cited by reliable writers of the extreme cunning and intelligence of these birds when strength proves unavailing. Count Wodzicki tells of a sagacious Hawk that, when all other means had failed by which it hoped to seize upon some tempting but wary pigeons, at length decided upon perching motionless upon a branch, with neck drawn in, so as to simulate an owl; the ruse completely succeeded, for the birds, fearing nothing from the huge but helpless looking creature, ventured out and were seized with a rapidity from which escape was hopeless. The same author mentions an instance of a trick played upon another flock of pigeons, in which very different means were adopted; the Hawk in this case, finding that its hoped-for prey utterly refused to come out and allow themselves to be caught, at last alighted upon the dove-cot, and beat and stamped upon it with such violence that the terrified inhabitants were fairly driven from their retreat. Audubon mentions having seen a Hawk kill five Blackbirds in succession as a flock was passing the Ohio, the victims being successively thrown down upon the water until the destroyer had time to collect them at his leisure; this latter feat was accomplished by a series of very dexterous movements, and the booty safely deposited upon dry land. The extraordinary rapacity of the Hawk fully accounts for its unsocial habits; it would, in fact, be impossible for these birds to live together; no relation of life appears to excite any natural feeling, even parents, devour their offspring with the most revolting cruelty—indeed, so great is their ferocity, that although provided with abundance of other food, they cannot restrain their murderous propensities, if brought in contact with birds even of their own species. Such of the feathered denizens of the forest as are sufficiently swift of wing to be able to elude the Gos Hawk, pursue it fearlessly, and chase it with rude cries whenever it appears; Crows and Swallows are particularly addicted to this most harassing mode of avenging the wrongs of their more helpless companions.

The eyrie of this species is large and shallow, built of green fir or pine branches, which are added to or renewed from time to time; the bed for the young is lined with down stripped from the parent birds. Old and high trees are usually preferred for building purposes, the nest being placed on a large branch near the main stem; year after year a pair of Hawks will return to the same spot, at each visit making such repairs as the eyrie requires, and renewing the green branches. The eggs, two to four in number, are large, long, and very wide towards the middle; the shell is thick, rough, of a greenish-white colour, and either entirely unmarked, or spotted with yellow; the female alone sits, but both parents guard the nest with jealous care, often attacking men, or even horses should they approach too near. The young grow very quickly, and are so voracious that the eyrie often looks like a slaughter-house, the parents having as much to do as they can manage in catering for their clamorous family, whose greed is so excessive that they will often fall upon and destroy each other when too impatient to await a fresh supply of food. Many and various are the means employed to clear the country of these destructive birds, but all attempts prove inadequate to cope with the extreme cunning and sagacity which they display on the approach of danger. In some parts of Asia their worst qualities are the points on which the favour of the native falconers is grounded, and by them these birds are prized as unrivalled for the purposes of the chase; they even employ them in the pursuit of such large game as hares. When about to hunt large animals, the legs of the Hawk are carefully covered with a kind of leather gaiters, to defend them when dragged through bushes and brambles, as their intended victim endeavours to escape from its clutch; seldom, however, does it succeed, for the bird holds firmly on with one foot, keeping the other raised to clear aside the branches, or get a firm grasp upon a bush, and thus arrest the progress of its quarry when the proper moment arrives.

The SINGING HAWKS (Melierax) are an African group, differing somewhat in shape from their European relatives. Their body is more slender, the beak less powerful, and the wings longer than in the races hitherto described; the tail is rounded at its extremity; the tarsi are strong and high, and the feet provided with comparatively short claws.

THE TRUE SINGING HAWK.

The TRUE SINGING HAWK (Melierax musicus), as the largest member of this group is called, inhabits Southern Africa, and is replaced in the central portions of that continent by another species (Melierax polygonus), closely resembling it in appearance, though somewhat smaller. In the latter the plumage on the upper part of the body, throat, and upper breast, is slate-coloured; the belly, wings, hose, and large wing-covers are white, striped with delicate grey zig-zag markings. The quills are brownish black, the tail-feathers of a paler shade, the latter are tipped with white, and striped three times with a crooked white line; the iris is of a beautiful brown, the beak dark blue, the cere and feet bright orange. The length of this bird is about one foot seven inches, its breadth three feet two inches; the wing measures eleven inches and two-thirds, the tail eight inches and one-third. The female is about one inch and a half longer and two inches broader than her mate. The plumage of the young is brown above, and upon the belly and breast white striped across with light brown; the sides of the head and a line over the breast are of the latter colour. The first-mentioned species is similar in its colour and markings. Le Vaillant, who first described these remarkable Hawks, tells us that they are numerous in Caffraria, where they usually frequent the widely scattered trees, and subsist principally upon hares, partridges, quails, rats, mice, or similar fare. The nest is large, and contains four pure white eggs. Le Vaillant has given the name of Singing Hawk to the species, from an extraordinary fact of which he assures us he had personal experience, namely, that they are capable of pouring out a flow of song, and sometimes continue their vocal exercise for hours together. For our own part we have never heard one of these birds sing, and therefore must abstain from either depreciating or maintaining this statement; but similar species, carefully observed by ourselves, in the more northern parts of Africa, were capable of nothing but a prolonged whistle or piping scream. In appearance alone do these Hawks bear any resemblance to their European congeners; in their habits they are dull, extremely indolent, and entirely incapable of the daring exploits that render other members of their race so formidable; it is by no means uncommon for them to sit for hours together dozing upon a tree, or lazily scanning the surrounding country almost too idly even to note the prey they might easily secure. When in the air their movements resemble in some respects those of our Hawk, but are entirely without the precision and rapidity which render that bird so terrible an opponent. Whilst perched among the branches their appearance is ungainly, as they squat motionless with head drawn in, staring fixedly at one particular spot. According to our own experience, they devour toads, grasshoppers, and various kinds of insects in great numbers; Hartmann tells us that they will also eat lizards. The prey is usually pounced upon as it goes down to the water to drink, yet even then, so slow and apathetic is this bird in its behaviour, that an attempt to seize the victim often proves abortive. We are entirely destitute of particulars as to the incubation of this species.

THE SERPENT HAWK.

The SERPENT HAWK (Polyboroides typicus) is a very remarkable member of the Hawk family, inhabiting the same parts of Africa as the bird last mentioned; a very similar species is also met with in Madagascar. The Serpent Hawk is recognisable by the smallness of its head and body, bare cheeks, slender beak, and enormous wings; the tail is long, broad, and slightly rounded; the tarsi high and thin, and the toes small. The plumage is dark greyish blue upon the upper portion of the body, front of neck, and breast; the primary quills are black, the upper secondaries grey, with a black spot near the tip; the tail-feathers are black tipped with white, and have a broad white streak across the middle. The belly, hose, and tail-covers are white, delicately marked with black. The eye is brown, the beak black, the feet lemon colour, the cere and bare patches round the eyes pale yellow. The male bird is one foot eleven inches and a half long, and four feet four inches across the span of the wings; these latter are sixteen and the tail eleven inches in length; the tarsus measures three inches and a quarter, and the middle toe not more than one and a half.

This species is met with throughout the woodland districts of Eastern Soudan, where it frequents such localities as are in the immediate vicinity of water, as it there finds in abundance the reptiles on which it principally subsists. The manner in which this Hawk obtains its prey is very remarkable, as it is enabled to draw its victims from their holes by the aid of a most curious contrivance; the tarsus is so constructed as to allow the foot to be turned in all directions, backwards as well as to the sides, and the claws being comparatively small, the leg can be introduced through a very narrow aperture; it is then moved rapidly into every recess and cranny of the hole, to the inevitable discovery of its helpless occupant. The Serpent Hawks rarely pass much time upon the wing, and, indeed, do little more than fly from one tree to another, exhibiting in all their habits that sluggish and unsocial temperament common to most reptile-eating birds; they live for the most part alone, and spend their time in perching lazily on a bough, or flitting from tree to tree. Verreaux tells us that they will sometimes pursue small birds or quadrupeds.

The succeeding families of RAPTORIAL BIRDS are distinguished by the circumstance that, although they pursue and kill living prey, they will likewise occasionally eat carrion; in order, however, to make the arrangement of this heterogeneous multitude at all clear to the general reader, we must subdivide them into several different groups.

EAGLES.

THE EAGLES.

THE EAGLES (AquilÆ) are distinguishable by the following characteristics: their body is stoutly and compactly built, their head is of moderate size and entirely covered with feathers, and the beak, which is straight to a considerable distance from its base, terminates in a curve or hook; the upper mandible is without teeth, but is slightly waved at its sides; the cere is bare, the tarsi are of moderate size, strong, and more or less covered with feathers, extending in some cases down to the toes; these latter are very powerful, often of great length, and armed with large, much curved, and sharply pointed talons. The wings of some species reach as far as the end of the tail, in others no farther than its root; in all they are rounded at the tip, the fourth and fifth quills being longer than the rest; the tail is long, broad, and either rounded or straight at its extremity. The plumage consists of large and usually pointed feathers, rich in texture, often very soft, but occasionally coarse and harsh. One of the distinguishing features in the plumage of the Eagle is that the feathers on the back of the head and nape are either pointed or considerably prolonged. The eye is large and fiery, and the eyebrows very distinctly marked, thus giving an expression of fierceness to the face.

A glance at different members of the Eagle tribe will at once convince us that they do not all belong to the same country or climate. It is true that they are dispersed over the surface of the whole earth, but each species has its appointed district; all, however, avoid the abodes of man, and make their nests in some unfrequented spot. Mountains, forests, sea-coasts, or the banks of lakes or rivers have each their appointed forms, while some species roam at large over the open plains of the countries in which they live. Such members of the family as inhabit the more northern portions of the globe migrate as winter approaches, and pass their lives in sweeping from land to land, except at such times as they are busied with the cares of incubation. In their habits all are unsocial, keeping company rarely even with individuals of their own race, except during their winter journeyings, and suffering no intruder to approach the spot selected as a breeding-place; so strong is this dislike to society that even when several Eagles are attracted by the same prey the companionship is merely in appearance, each bird coming and going without any reference to the movements of the rest. Notwithstanding this unwillingness to join company with others, even of their own species, they are much attached to their mates, each pair living in close companionship throughout their whole lives, and frequently permitting smaller birds to make their nests in close proximity, either regarding them as entirely beneath their notice, or, perhaps, feeling that such despicable morsels are not worth the long and troublesome chase which their pursuit would necessitate. To some members of the Eagle family the name of Hawk Eagles has been assigned, on account of their very decided resemblance to the Hawk, not merely in appearance, but in disposition.

Though unable to cleave the air with the rapidity of the Falcon, the flight of an Eagle is extremely imposing, as it rises with slow and majestic strokes of its large wings, steering its course by the aid of its tail, or hovers for minutes at a time without any apparent effort; when descending to seize its prey its movements are somewhat more rapid, but are not to be compared with the stoop of the Hawk. While upon the ground nothing can be more clumsy than the mode of progression employed by these large birds; they hop, or rather jump, with a most peculiar step, at the same time helping themselves along with their wings; far different is their appearance when they are seen perched with body erect upon some tree, from whence they gaze upon the world beneath with a calm dignity worthy of the royalty not unfrequently assigned to them. The sight of the Eagle is more highly developed than any other sense; it also hears well, and exhibits a marked dislike to any sharp sound. Many wonderful tales have been circulated as to the power of appreciating odours possessed by these birds, but for our own part we consider these accounts as much exaggerated. All the members of the family are intelligent, prudent, in some cases cunning, and they have such an appreciation of their own strength as to impart an air of nobility to their demeanour even towards man himself. When in pursuit, Eagles exhibit great fierceness, and seem to enjoy the full excitement of the chase; even such large quadrupeds as foxes fall victims to their ferocity, and the swiftest inhabitants of the air are not safe from their pursuit; instances are on record in which man himself has had to combat the attacks of these bold and audacious birds.

The eyries built by the various species of Eagles differ but little in appearance; all are exceedingly large, broad, and very shallow. They are formed of boughs, sometimes of considerable thickness, on these are placed smaller branches, and the interior is then padded with twigs upon which the leaves have been left, in order to form a warm bed. These nests are usually constructed upon a tree, or upon some rocky precipice. The breeding season varies according to the climate; the eggs often but one, rarely three in number, are incubated by the female alone. Both parents, however, assist in rearing their progeny, and have been known to fly to a distance of many miles in search of food for their hungry family. The nestlings are tended for some time after they are fully fledged.

Foremost among the Eagles three species stand pre-eminent, and have been celebrated and dreaded from the most ancient times. These form the group of TRUE EAGLES, and are recognisable by their powerful bodies, large and well-shaped heads, and broad long wings, which reach to the end of the tail; in the wings the fourth quill is longer than the rest; the tail is long, and the legs strong and of moderate height; the beak is large, the upper mandible curves very decidedly from the cere downwards, and bulges outwards at its sides; the eyes, which are of great size, lie partly concealed under the projecting brows; the feet are powerful and of moderate length, the claws large, curved, and sharp. The plumage is rich and soft, and its feathers pointed, those at the back of the head and on the nape being slender and elongated; the tarsi are feathered down to the toes.

Thus far we have described collectively the three species forming the family of True Eagles; but, to avoid confusion, we will now speak of the Tawny, the Golden, and the Imperial Eagles, each under its proper heading.

THE TAWNY EAGLE.

The TAWNY EAGLE (Aquila fulva), the largest, strongest, and most compactly built member of the family, is from two and three-quarters to three feet in length, and from six and two-thirds to seven feet in breadth; the wing measures from one foot two inches to two feet, and the tail thirteen or fourteen inches. The largest of these measurements applies to the female bird. When the plumage is in its full beauty, the head and back of the neck are brownish yellow, and the rest of the feathers of a uniform dark brown; the tail is white, striped, or spotted with black at its upper portion, the lower half entirely black; the hose are almost white. Naumann tells that only the two centre tail-feathers are of equal length, those towards the sides being slightly graduated.

THE GOLDEN EAGLE.

The GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chrysaËtos) is much more slenderly built and has a smaller head than the bird above described, but the wings and tail are longer, and the former do not extend as far as the extremity of the tail. The male is three feet long and seven feet and a quarter across the span of the wings; the wing measures two feet four inches and the tail thirteen inches; the female is three feet two inches in length, and seven feet and a half across. The plumage is lighter than that of the Tawny Eagle, and more of a reddish brown upon the breast, hose, and lower tail-covers; the region of the shoulder is indicated by a white spot; the tail is always brownish grey, marked with irregular crooked black lines, and the black stripes are narrower than in the preceding species. All the feathers that compose the tail are of equal length, except the two outer ones, which are somewhat shortened; the lower part of the wing is always very dark, and often entirely without markings. The plumage of the young is darker, and without the white patch in the shoulder, and the reddish-brown feathers on the back of the head and neck, that characterise the adult bird.

THE IMPERIAL EAGLE.

The IMPERIAL EAGLE (Aquila imperialis) is considerably smaller than the preceding, not exceeding two feet and a half to two feet and three-quarters in length; its breadth across the wings is from six to six feet and two-thirds, the wing measures from two, to two feet and a quarter, and the tail from ten, to twelve inches and a half. The female is of the same size as the male Tawny Eagle. The body of this species is compact, and the wings so long that they extend beyond the comparatively short tail. In the adult the plumage is of a dark, somewhat variegated, brown; the head and nape are reddish yellow, and the shoulders are ornamented with a white patch; the tail-feathers are grey, striped with black. The plumage of the young is tawny, marked longitudinally with dark brown. Both the Golden and Tawny Eagles are found throughout all such countries of Europe as possess high mountains or extensive forests, and both are met with in many parts of Asia and North America. The Imperial Eagle, on the contrary, inhabits the south-eastern portion of our continent from Hungary to Mongolia; Jerdon tells us that it not only visits India during its migrations, but breeds there. This last species frequents open tracts of country, whilst the Tawny and Golden Eagles prefer rocky districts, the former always building amongst the mountain fastnesses, and the latter occasionally making her eyrie among the branches of one of the gigantic trees of the forest. The Imperial Eagle also makes its nest upon trees, and often at no great distance from the abodes of man. All these birds have many habits in common; they commence their pursuit of prey long after the sun rises, and confine their excursions within the limits of a certain district. Both mates hunt together, but the possession of some delicate morsel which one or other refuses to share with its companion is often a cause of strife between them. The chase lasts till noon, when they retire to rest in some quiet spot, and remain perched with drooping plumage, but with ever watchful eye, whilst the work of digestion is going on. When this period of repose is over they fly in search of water, not only drinking largely, but bathing in the cooling stream. The afternoon is passed in the same manner as the morning; and the early part of the evening is spent in soaring and floating through the air, till darkness has closed around, when the wary couples quietly retire to their safe and often unapproachable sleeping-places. The force with which these enormous birds clutch their prey is so violent that the entrance of a Golden Eagle's claws into the sides of its victim can be distinctly heard, and its flesh is often partially devoured before life is extinct.

Many tales are told of Eagles having carried off young children, and we know instances in which they have attacked man himself. Naumann mentions an amusing example that came under his own notice, a Tawny Eagle in his possession having been captured under the following circumstances:—This rash and hungry bird, he tells us, was tempted to seize upon a fine fat pig as it ran about its native village; but the pig was so obstinate as to appear by no means inclined to leave this world quietly, and uttered such piercing cries as brought a passer-by to its assistance. The peasant succeeded in dislodging the Eagle, who, however, determined not to be entirely baffled, pounced upon a cat that was contemplating the struggle, and flew with pussy to a neighbouring hedge. Exasperated at this second attack, the man rushed into a cottage, seized a loaded gun, and returned in the hope of saving the second victim; but no sooner did the Eagle observe the approach of this disturber of its quiet enjoyment than it darted upon him and attacked him with such fury that he was with difficulty saved by the people who ran in answer to his cries for help, and at last succeeded in taking the bird prisoner.

When about to devour their prey these birds always retire to some spot where they are likely to be unmolested; even whilst the work of destruction is slowly going on they pause from time to time and listen attentively, in the fear that an intruder is at hand. The entire carcase is in most cases consumed, the head being first devoured, and then the rest of the body; even the bones are crushed and swallowed, but the entrails are rejected. The hair or feathers would seem to be actually necessary to digestion, seeing that they are swallowed in large quantities, probably for the purpose of clearing out their stomachs, where they become formed into balls, which are rejected every few days in the shape of "castings." When hair or feathers are not obtainable they will swallow hay or straw, apparently for a like purpose. The eyrie is built about the month of March. The eggs, which are comparatively small, are round, rough-shelled, white or greenish grey, and irregularly marked with spots of various shapes and sizes; those of the Tawny Eagle are the largest, and those of the Golden Eagle the smallest eggs of the three; in other respects they so closely resemble each other that the eyries are frequently mistaken. The eggs are sometimes three in number, but it is rare to find more than one, or at any rate two nestlings. The female broods for five weeks, and is assisted by her mate in the heavy duty of providing food for the family. If taken from the nest young, Eagles may be easily tamed, and become much attached to those who feed them; if carefully tended they often attain a great age, and instances are on record of their having lived for upwards of a century in confinement.

THE GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chrysaËtos).

We learn from Pallas and Eversmann that the Tawny and Golden Eagles are extensively employed by the Bashkirs for hunting purposes. The inhabitants of Mongolia set a high value upon the wing and tail feathers of these birds, offering them to their gods, and also employing them to feather their arrows; they never willingly hurt an Eagle, and should such an accident occur, it is despatched with the utmost promptitude, in order to avoid the anger of the bad spirits. It is a remarkable fact that these strange superstitions are shared by the American Indians, by whom the body of an Eagle, coloured with red paint, and surmounted with the tail of a rattlesnake, is often employed to symbolise some notable deed of daring. Some tribes regard the plumes as tokens of bravery, placing a feather upon their heads for every enemy they kill, and, when engaged in war, often fasten these feathers to their weapons, or wear them in their hair.

THE IMPERIAL EAGLE (Aquila imperialis).

THE SPOTTED EAGLE.

The SPOTTED EAGLE (Aquila nÆvia) is met with in great numbers in Germany, Russia, and some of the southern parts of our continent; it also inhabits Asia, and during the winter is frequently seen in North Africa. This species is not more than from twenty-five to twenty-seven inches in length, and from five feet four inches to five feet eight inches broad; the wing measures from eighteen to nineteen inches and three-quarters, and the tail from nine and a half to ten inches. In the adult the plumage is of a uniform brown, darkest and most glossy upon the back; the back of the head is yellowish red or pale fawn colour; the centre quills are distinctly striped, the upper and lower wing-covers bordered with a light shade; the tail-feathers are numerously striped and mottled, or are of a uniform colour, with a light tip; the upper tail-covers are brownish yellow. In the young birds the plumage is variegated, the feathers being for the most part brown, and spotted with light yellow on both sides of the shaft and at the tip; in some instances the wings of the young have a beautiful border; the hose and lower wing-covers are a mixture of brown and dirty white.

The Spotted Eagle and its congeners for the most part frequent marshy or boggy country, and are found in large numbers in woodland districts. Each pair seems to live within a certain limited space, in the centre of which the eyrie is built; and so attached are they to the spot they have selected for a home, that it is almost impossible to drive them to other quarters; even should the eggs or young be destroyed, the parents will not quit the eyrie, or only leave it to erect another a few yards from the old nest. In the northern parts of Europe the Spotted Eagle is met with during the summer, appearing early in March, and leaving about October, some few remain throughout the winter. In fierceness and daring this species is far inferior to any other member of the group to which it belongs; its manners are gentle and its disposition timid, as may at once be seen by the expression of its eye. When perched, its appearance is extremely ignoble; but when on the wing it exhibits some of the dignity characteristic of its race, and often passes whole hours in performing beautiful gyrations through the air. This Eagle destroys small birds, mice, and frogs in great numbers; it perches like a Buzzard upon a tree, stone, or post, and from thence peers around in the hope of descrying a victim; should its observations prove successful, it at once rapidly descends to seize its prey, which is sometimes pursued with a kind of hopping gait; it also devours carrion with the avidity of a vulture. The voice of this species is very loud and resonant, and when the bird is pleased its sound is not disagreeable. Birch-trees are usually preferred for building purposes, and where these are not to be found, fir or pine trees are selected; the eyrie, which is small and very carelessly constructed, is flat, and ornamented with green branches. The egg—for there is usually but one—is either oval or round; the shell is white, with pale blueish grey, reddish brown, or yellow spots, more or less distinctly laid on; some are prettily adorned with a wreath of spots round the centre. The female sits for three weeks, and, should she be driven from her charge, perches upon the nearest tree and utters pitiful cries; the young are tended by both parents, and fed principally upon small reptiles; if taken from the nest they are easily tamed.

The DWARF EAGLES (HieraËtos) are the smallest members of this family, and have received the name they bear on account of the shortness of their legs; the two species we are about to describe closely resemble each other, and are about one foot and a half long, and three feet seven inches broad; the wing measures thirteen inches and three-quarters and the tail seven inches and a quarter. The female is one inch and a half longer and about three inches broader than her mate.

THE BOOTED EAGLE.

The BOOTED EAGLE (HieraËtos pennata) is yellowish white upon the brow, and striped upon the top of the head with a darker shade; the nape is reddish brown, the mantle and wings blackish brown, each feather having a light edge, and thus imparting a mottled appearance to the back and surrounding the wings with two indistinct borders; the shoulder is marked with a white spot; the upper sides of the tail-feathers are dark brown, with a light tip, the lower part is pale grey; the feathers on the lower portions of the bird are light yellow, with brown lines upon the shafts; these lines are broadest upon the breast, gradually decreasing until they are scarcely visible upon the hose; in some old birds these dark markings are only visible upon a small part of the breast; the eyes are of a pale bronze tint, the beak light blue at its base and tipped with black, the feet lemon yellow, and the cere straw colour. The young are of a pale rust red upon the lower part of the body, but in other respects resemble their parents. The nestlings are brown above, and reddish yellow beneath; the shafts of the feathers are not striped, and there is no white upon the shoulder.

THE DWARF EAGLE.

The DWARF EAGLE (HieraËtos minuta) is pale reddish brown upon the head and nape, longitudinally marked with black streaks, which are most prominent upon the fore part of the head; the mantle is brown, the long shoulder-feathers blackish brown; the tail is pale brown, tipped with a light shade and surrounded by three or four distinct black borders; the eyes are encircled by a dark ring; the hose, tarsi, and lower wing-covers are paler than the rest of the body; this species has also the white spot upon the shoulders; the eye is brown, the beak blue at the base, black at the tip; the cere and toes are lemon yellow. The young are light rust red upon the head, which is distinctly marked with black upon the fore part; the entire body is paler than that of the older birds, and the borders upon the tail-covers scarcely perceptible. The habitat of the Dwarf Eagles lies within the south and south-eastern portions of our continent; what parts of Asia they inhabit is still unknown, but the Booted species is found throughout the whole of India and Ceylon, and breeds in both countries; during the summer they are very common in Europe, but they migrate either in pairs or flocks as winter approaches, at which season they visit Egypt and the upper parts of the Nile in large numbers. In their habits and disposition the Dwarf Eagles are by no means inferior to the True Eagles, even exceeding the latter birds in energy and activity, but they do not equal them in prudence and foresight. Their flight is rapid, powerful, and light; they hover with ease, and soar high into the air, darting with the rapidity of an arrow upon their prey, and sometimes flying near the ground while engaged in its pursuit. When about to perch they select low branches, upon which they sit erect and motionless, but most carefully observant of all that passes around them. We have never seen one of these birds alone; they are always met with either in pairs or small parties, that remain together even during their migrations. The cry of both species is clear, and has a piping sound. Birds of very various kinds and many small quadrupeds are eagerly pursued by the Dwarf Eagle, who prefers woodland districts for its hunting-grounds, and captures its prey after the manner of the Hawk. The breeding season commences about the month of April, and the eyrie is built with slender branches upon the top of a lofty tree. Several pairs are usually found brooding in close proximity to each other. The eggs, two in number, resemble those of the Hawk in size, form, and colour. When first hatched the young are covered with long, light, silky down, which is yellow upon the top of the head. During such time as the female is engaged in sitting upon the nest, she is constantly relieved for hours at a time by her mate, who frequently takes her place, and exhibits the utmost constancy in his demonstrations of attachment. Wodzicki tells us that when about to approach its eyrie, the Dwarf Eagle perches upon a branch at some distance from it, lowers its head, inflates its crop, and walks slowly into the nest. During the period of incubation, these birds, if molested, exhibit great courage and fierceness; towards the Screech Owl in particular they manifest an inveterate hatred, that leads to many deadly encounters.

The WEDGE-TAILED EAGLES (UroaËtos) constitute a group of large birds that inhabit Australia. In shape and plumage they resemble the True Eagles, but are distinguishable from them by their elongated powerful beaks, long and abruptly-graduated tails, and by the lengthy feathers that adorn the back of the neck.

BOLD WEDGE-TAILED EAGLES (UroaËtos audax).

THE BOLD WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE.

The BOLD WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE (UroaËtos audax) is three feet one inch long, and about six feet eight inches broad. The back and sides of the throat are rust colour, the rest of the body blackish brown. The feathers of the wings and upper tail-covers are edged and tipped with pale brown. The eye is yellowish white, the beak is yellowish grey at its root, and yellow at the extremity; the feet are pale yellow. Another species or variety is also met with, more slender in form and paler in plumage than that above described.

The Bold Wedge-tailed Eagles are common throughout Australia, where they frequent open plains and forests, preferring such localities as are inhabited by kangaroos. Gould tells us that all that has been said about the strength, courage, and rapacity of the Tawny Eagle may also be applied to these birds, whose unremitting attacks upon flocks of sheep are a cause of constant loss to the colonists; small kangaroos they destroy in great numbers, but rarely contend with such as are full grown. Gould also mentions having seen one of these Eagles pursuing a mother kangaroo with great patience, and watching for the moment when fatigue would compel her to empty the young from her pouch, and thus yield them an easy prey. From the same source we learn that they will eat carrion, and may often be seen perched thirty or forty at a time upon the carcase of an ox. The eyrie is built upon such high trees as to be almost inaccessible; in size it varies considerably, as it is enlarged and repaired from time to time by its owners, who return to the same nest for many successive years. The outer walls are formed of large boughs, these again are interwoven with smaller branches, and the interior lined with leaves and slender twigs. According to Ramsay, the breeding season is at the end of the summer. The eggs, two in number, are round and rough shelled, three inches long, and at the thickest part two inches and three-eighths in diameter; these are white, spotted with red, yellowish brown, or purple. Many forests contain the remains of large settlements made by these birds before the white man had penetrated into the interior of the country. The Bold Wedge-tailed Eagle is often taken young from the nest by the natives, and when reared exported to Europe.

The HAWK EAGLES (PseudaËtos EudolmaËtos, or AsturaËtos) constitute a group distinguished by their comparatively short wings, that do not reach the end of the very long tail, and by their high tarsi, feathered even to the toes, which are armed with long and broad curved talons; the beak is long, but powerful.

THE HAWK EAGLE.

BONELLI'S HAWK EAGLE (Pseudactos Bonellii), as the European representative of this group is called, is about two feet four inches long, and four feet ten inches broad; the wing measures one foot four inches, and the tail ten inches. The female is three inches longer and four inches broader. Upon the brow the plumage is white, as is also a streak passing over the eyes; the top of the head and nape are brown, darkly striped; the upper part of the back is white, its feathers having blackish-brown spots upon their edges; the mantle is of a uniform dark brown, and blackish brown at its extremity; the upper tail-covers are white, mottled with brown; the throat, breast, and centre of belly white, the shafts of the feathers spotted with black; the upper surface of the tail is greyish brown, tipped with white, and marked with seven crooked dark lines; the under side is whitish yellow, spotted with brownish grey. In the young the top of the head is light red, the nape fawn colour, the mantle light brown, each feather being bordered with reddish yellow; the tail is greyish brown above, streaked ten times, and edged with white; the lower portion of the body is principally of a pale yellowish brown, the feathers having delicate dark streaks upon the shafts; the belly and lower wing-covers are dirty reddish white, without any markings. The eye is bronze colour, the beak greyish blue, the cere and feet greyish yellow.

These Eagles are common in Germany, Greece, and South Italy, and more numerous than any others in Spain and Algiers, where they frequent bare mountains; they are also met with in north-western Africa and India, always resorting to the hilly districts of the latter country. These birds do not migrate, but wander at large in considerable flocks, except during the breeding season, when they are extremely unsocial, prudently permitting none of their companions to approach the nest. In disposition the Hawk Eagle has much in common with the group whose name it bears, equalling the Gos-Hawk in courage and hardihood, but far exceeding it in bodily powers. When upon the wing its movements will bear comparison with those of the Falcon, but when perched its attitude is much less imposing. The eye of this species is peculiarly brilliant and fiery in its glance, clearly indicating the disposition of its owner, whose fierce boldness often leads it to contend with the largest and most formidable of its race. Some writers tell us that the Hawk Eagle confines its attacks to water birds, but this is not the case; in Spain it is numbered amongst the most terrible invaders of the poultry-yard, whence it will carry off a good fat hen under the very eyes of its owner. Jerdon mentions having seen it in India seize upon and bring down Peacocks. The eyrie, which is usually placed in holes of rocks, is but rarely met with; one found by KrÜper in Greece contained two eggs, the walls were formed of sticks, and the interior was lined with down. The eggs differed from each other, both in colour and markings, one being of a dirty white without spots, and the other pure white, and distinctly speckled. The nest to which we allude must have been an uncommonly warm cradle for the nestlings, for it was so placed as to be exposed to the full force of the sun's rays.

The HOODED EAGLES (SpizaËtos) are slender in form, with short wings, long tails, and high, powerful feet, one distinguishing character being the possession of a more or less developed tuft upon the back of the head.

THE MARTIAL HOODED EAGLE.

The MARTIAL HOODED EAGLE (SpizaËtos bellicosus) is the largest and strongest member of this group. This powerful bird is three feet long, and of great breadth; the wing measures two feet, the tail fourteen inches. Its plumage is extremely simple; the upper part of the body is a beautiful brown, the head of a darker shade; the individual quills of the mantle have a light edge, and the wings a border formed by the light tips of the feathers that form the large wing-covers; a white stripe passes over the eyes to the back of the head; the entire lower parts of the body are white, shaded with blue; the tail is dark brown above, light brown beneath, and striped crossways with six dark lines; the outer web of the large quills is black, the inner lighter in colour and darkly striped; the lower wing-covers are pure white, the eye is greyish brown, the cere greenish, the beak black, and the feet lead colour. This species, which is an inhabitant of Africa, has been so little noticed by modern travellers that in describing its habits we must quote Le Vaillant, who wrote at the close of the last century; from this source we learn that the Martial Eagle lives in pairs, which keep together with the greatest constancy, each couple remaining jealously apart from others of their own kind. The nest is usually built upon a solitary tree, and from this point the pair fly forth, and spread terror over the surrounding country. No bird, however large, is safe from their pursuit, and even when Vultures and Ravens combine in the hope of collectively routing the common enemy, they are no sooner face to face with the foe than they are ignominiously put to flight. These Eagles destroy antelopes and hares in great numbers; and are, in fact, the tyrants of the districts they inhabit. When on the wing, their motions are light and rapid; their voice is sometimes harsh and deep, and at others sharp and penetrating. These birds usually build upon the summits of trees; sometimes, however, though rarely, their nest is placed in holes of rocks. The cradle for their young is formed of three distinct layers, the first being formed of thick and knotty branches, the second consists of twigs, moss, and large leaves, and the third is a lining composed of still more delicate and elastic materials; the whole structure is about four or five feet in diameter, and so strongly built that it will bear a man's weight; the same nest is repaired and employed year after year during the entire life of the couple by whom it was originally constructed. The eggs, of which there are two, are about three inches long, pure white, and almost round. The female alone broods, but both parents unite in the enormous labour required to feed their voracious young, whose gaping mouths they find it almost impossible to satisfy; indeed, the tales told of the quantity they devour seem almost to border on the fabulous.

THE TUFTED EAGLE.

The TUFTED EAGLE (LophoaËtos occipitalis), also an inhabitant of Africa, is considerably smaller than its congeners, and easily recognisable by the crest that adorns its head. The body is compact, the wings long, the tail short, and the tarsi high. The plumage is almost entirely dark brown, deepest in shade upon the belly, and lightest on the breast; the edges of the wings, the base of the crest, lower wing-covers, the plumage upon the tarsi, roots of the tail-feathers, and three crooked streaks passing over the tail are of a whitish hue. The eyes are bright yellow, the beak greyish blue, dark at its tip, and light towards its base; the cere is pale yellow, and the feet straw colour. The length of this bird is about nineteen inches and three-quarters, its breadth forty-six inches; the wing measures twelve and three-quarters, the tail seven inches. The female is one inch and a quarter longer and two inches broader than her mate.

The Tufted Eagle is met with in considerable numbers in the countries watered by the Upper Nile, where it usually frequents groups of Mimosa trees, perching amongst the branches for hours together, with eyes half closed, as it lazily spreads or closes the crest upon its head. At such times it has very little the appearance of a bird of prey; but should some poor mouse, rat, pigeon, or squirrel venture near the spot where it indolently reposes, all the instincts of an Eagle are at once exhibited, and the apparently idle dreamer darts down upon its victim with a boldness and rapacity fully equalling that displayed by some European Hawks; in fact, despite the smallness of its size, it may be regarded as one of the most terrible of the numerous freebooters inhabiting the African forests. We learn from Le Vaillant that this species builds upon trees, and lines its nest with wool or feathers, and that the eggs, two in number, are almost round, of a whitish colour, and marked with reddish-brown spots. The Tufted Eagle is but rarely brought to Europe; indeed, the Zoological Gardens of London, Antwerp, and Hamburg are, we believe, the only places of public resort that have boasted a living specimen of this very striking species, whose streaming crest, dark, rich plumage, and fiery eyes, cannot fail to render it an object of interest. It may be kept alive for many years in this country if carefully tended, and is but little sensitive as to climate. A Tufted Eagle that we saw in confinement was very lively, and uttered its cry lustily, both morning and evening; but in its general behaviour showed little of the courage for which it is remarkable in a state of freedom.

The DESTROYING EAGLES (Pternura) constitute a race of South American birds, very closely resembling the Tufted Eagle in their general appearance, but recognisable by the comparative length of their wings (in which the fifth quill is longer than the rest), and by the shortness of their toes.

THE URUTAURANA.

The URUTAURANA (Pternura tyrannus), the most stately member of this group, is twenty-six inches in length and fifty in breadth; the wing measures sixteen and the tail fourteen inches; the female is two inches longer and three or four inches broader than her mate. In this species, the head, throat, nape, and upper part of the breast are black; the plumage of the back is an uniform blackish brown, that of the lower portions of the body of the same hue, marked with white; the wing-feathers are ornamented with five or six white lines; the tail-feathers have similar markings, and are bordered with white, so that when seen from above they appear of a greyish brown, and on the under side whitish grey; the plumage upon the legs and feet is also mottled with white. The young birds are brown or greyish brown, the feathers upon the back being edged with a lighter shade; the throat is whitish, the breast yellowish brown, marked with dark spots; the eye orange colour, the beak greyish black; the cere greyish yellow, and the feet pale yellow.

THE TUFTED EAGLE (LophoaËtos occipitalis).

The Urutaurana inhabits the forests in the interior of Brazil, but is never met with in large numbers; indeed, the Prince von Wied, who first discovered this species, only captured one specimen, and Burmeister saw but two during his travels. The bird shot by the first-mentioned naturalist was killed whilst in the act of seizing an opossum. Monkeys and small quadrupeds of all kinds constitute its usual food. The nest, which was built upon the branch of a tree, contained but two eggs. These scanty particulars include all the information that has as yet been obtained respecting its habits.

Brehm mentions having seen a still rarer species, the Pternura Isidori, in confinement, and tells us that when first caged it proved extremely fierce and shy, becoming, however, much tamer after a few months. It would eat every kind of animal food, even fish; but always carefully examined any new viand before proceeding to devour it. This bird exhibited perfect indifference to change of climate, frequently remaining voluntarily exposed to a pelting rain or fall of snow when it could have readily found shelter beneath the roof of its cage.

The BRAZILIAN EAGLES (Morphnus), also inhabitants of the woods of Brazil, form a race of remarkable birds, concerning whose proper position there has been great variety of opinion, seeing that they combine the size, strength, and noble appearance of an Eagle with the shape of the Sparrow Hawk. All the members of this group possess stout bodies and large heads; their wings are short, their tails broad and long; the tarsus is at least twice as long as the middle toe, and but slightly covered with feathers below the heel, the other parts being protected with horny plates; the toes are powerful, though short, and armed with strong, sharp talons; the beak is long, shallow, and comparatively weak; the upper mandible terminates in an abrupt hook, and its edges bulge slightly outwards.

THE CRESTED BRAZILIAN EAGLE.

The CRESTED BRAZILIAN EAGLE (Morphnus Guianensis) is the species with which we are most familiar. In length this bird measures twenty-five, in breadth fifty-seven inches; the wing from fifteen to sixteen, and the tail from eleven to twelve inches. The long, streaming, and somewhat owl-like plumage is prolonged at the back of the neck into a crest six inches long, and varies considerably according to the age of the specimen. We learn from the Prince von Wied that the head, throat, breast, belly, rump, and legs are of spotless white, only varied here and there by a slight yellow shade; the back, shoulders, and wing-covers are of a pale greyish red, the feathers being spotted and mottled with red; the quills and tail are blackish brown, edged with a narrow irregular greyish-red line. Pelzehn considers that the plumage above described belongs to the young, and tells us that as they increase in age their feathers become darker. According to this authority, the old birds are dark brown upon the head and throat, and greenish black upon the whole of the upper part of the body and breast; the upper tail-covers being streaked and tipped with white. We must leave it to future naturalists to decide which of these descriptions is correct.

These Eagles inhabit the whole of South America, frequenting both the forests near the coast and such fertile spots as are occasionally found upon the barren steppes; but districts near rivers appear to be their favourite resorts. According to Schomburghk, they are easily recognisable by their loud cry, and by the effect of their snowy plumage, which acquires new beauty by contrast with the deep blue sky under which they wheel their rapid and varied flight. When about to perch they select the summit of a lofty tree, and often linger for hours together upon the same branch, almost motionless, or amusing themselves by playing with and exhibiting their flowing crests in a variety of positions. We learn from the Prince von Wied that they subsist principally upon opossums and monkeys, but will also devour a great variety of small quadrupeds and birds. The capture of the Crested Brazilian Eagles is attended with considerable difficulty, and their eyries are almost inaccessible, owing to the great height of the trees upon which they are built. It would seem that these birds are by no means inferior to their congeners in courage, for the Prince von Wied mentions that the specimen he obtained, though it had been shot through the neck by a large arrow, resisted boldly, both with beak and claws, when he attempted to take possession of it.

THE HARPY EAGLE.

The HARPY EAGLE (Harpyia destructor) is the most formidable of all the Eagles found in South America. The body of this bird is powerful, its head large, its tail robust and of considerable length; the wings, on the contrary, are short and blunt; the beak is unusually high and strong, very decidedly rounded at its summit, and sharp at the edges, which bulge outwards below the nostrils, and form a tooth-like appendage; the feet are stronger than those of any other Bird of Prey, the toes are long, and armed with very long, thick, hooked talons; the tarsi are partially covered in front with feathers, the bare places being protected by large horny plates. The plumage, which is soft and rich, is prolonged into a large, broad crest at the back of the neck; the head and nape are grey, the crest, and entire back, wings, tail, upper part of the breast and sides of the rump, dark slate colour; the tail is ornamented with three white stripes; the lower portion of the breast and rump are white, the belly and legs are also white, the former spotted and the latter streaked with black. The beak and claws are black, the legs yellow, and the eyes reddish yellow. In the young bird all these markings are indistinct; the feathers on the back are striped with grey, and those upon the breast and belly spotted with black. Tschudi gives the length of this species as being three feet two inches, that of the tail being one foot one inch, whilst according to Burmeister its size exceeds this measurement. The middle toe is three inches, the hinder toe one inch and a half long, and both are furnished with claws an inch and a half in length.

All the large forests of South America, from Mexico to the interior of Brazil, are inhabited by this large and formidable Eagle, which, although it occasionally visits the warm valleys interspersed among the mountain ranges, never leaves them to take shelter on the rocky heights by which they are surrounded. Such old writers as have treated of the Natural History of the American continent never fail to mention so destructive a bird, and about its life and habits many strange fables have been invented. Fernandez describes the Harpy as being as large as a sheep, and constantly attacking men; but tells us that notwithstanding its great fierceness it can be tamed and employed in the chase. Mauduyt repeats the above statements, and adds thereto that a Harpy with one blow of its beak, is able to split open a man's skull; stating, moreover, that these birds are much addicted to this exercise of their powers. Modern naturalists have refuted these notions, and we will give, in a small compass, the facts which such men as D'Orbigny and Tschudi have been able to ascertain by their own observations. According to these authorities, the Harpy dwells in the moist, well-watered forests of South America, within the boundaries already indicated, rarely, however, appearing in the depths of these leafy wildernesses, but frequenting the banks of rivers, where an abundance of animal life is always to be met with. In no part of the continent are these birds to be found in great numbers, doubtless owing to the fact that from time immemorial they have been hunted by the natives for the sake of their feathers. Like the Hawk, they are seldom seen on the summits of trees, but sit upon the branches, whence they rise with short, irregular strokes, and fly with arrow-like rapidity when in pursuit of prey, swooping upon it with great force, after describing a few preparatory evolutions.

According to D'Orbigny, these Eagles are of solitary habits, except during the breeding season. From Tschudi we learn that the Harpy is much dreaded by the Indians, owing to its devastating attacks upon their property; indeed, in some woodland districts the inhabitants find it impossible to keep poultry or small dogs, for so bold and audacious are these feathered poachers that they have been known to seize a fine fat hen whilst its owner was standing not a yard from the spot. All such quadrupeds as are not large, or powerfully armed, fall victims to the voracity; and Schomburghk was told by the natives that instances are on record of children having been carried off and devoured. From the same source we learn that the Sloth is sometimes literally torn piece by piece from the branches when it cannot be induced to relax its hold by other means. We need scarcely say that we do not vouch for this latter statement. By the monkey tribes that swarm and gambol in the South American forests, the Harpy is regarded with such dread that, should a frolicsome party be made aware of the approach of their powerful enemy, the terrified creatures at once beat a hasty retreat to the thickest parts of the surrounding foliage, uttering the most pitiful cries as they endeavour to escape from the impending danger, against which all attempts at defence would be useless. The eyrie of the Harpy is built upon lofty trees, and the Indians assert that the same nest is employed for many successive years: the eggs, as far as we can ascertain, have not as yet been found. These remarkable birds are so highly esteemed by the native tribes, that the happy possessor of a live Harpy is regarded with envy and increased respect by his less fortunate neighbours. Upon the women devolves the task of feeding and tending these valuable members of the family party, whose feathers, plucked from the wings and tail twice in the year, afford the owners not only the means of barter for any article they may desire, but are employed as much-coveted decorations for the head-dress and accoutrements of a warrior. In Peru, the hunter who succeeds in capturing a Harpy is allowed the privilege of taking his prize from door to door, to receive such articles as eggs, maize, or poultry, in acknowledgment of his prowess.

Pourlamaque informs us that in the countries watered by the Amazon, the flesh and fat of the Harpy are considered valuable for healing purposes, both by the native and European inhabitants. Many of these birds have been brought alive to Europe, but they never become tame; when confined, they exhibit the most insatiable voracity, devouring every kind of animal food, but preferring to receive their prey whilst it is still alive. They appear to feel no affection towards those that feed them, and are so extremely ferocious that it is impossible to introduce even one of their own kind into the cage that they occupy.

The SEA EAGLES (HaliaËtos) constitute a well-defined group of very large birds, armed with long and powerful beaks, which terminate in an abrupt hook, and rise but slightly above the cere; the tarsi are only partially covered with feathers; the talons are long, sharp, and hooked, and the toes distinctly separate; the wings are large, the third quill longer than the rest, reaching almost to the tip of the broad and more or less rounded tail. The plumage is rich, and usually of a grey colour; the feathers upon the head and nape are only slightly elongated, but terminate in a sharp point; the tail is usually, and the head occasionally, white.

THE SEA EAGLE.

The SEA EAGLE (HaliaËtos albicilla) is met with in large numbers upon all European sea-coasts. This species is at least two and a half, generally three feet long, and from seven to eight feet broad; the wing measures two feet, and the tail one foot. The plumage of the full-grown birds is greyish brown upon the head and throat, the body is fawn colour, the wings tipped with black, and the tail with white. The eyes, beak, cere, and feet are yellow. As the Sea Eagle increases in age, the colours of its feathers fade, until the upper part of the body is white, and the lower portion greyish white. The young birds are principally brown, spotted, or mottled, with white beneath, and have a dark tail.

The WHITE-HEADED SEA EAGLE (HaliaËtos leucocephalus), the North American representative of the species above described, is somewhat smaller than its European congener, its length not exceeding from two feet four inches to two feet eight inches; its breadth is from six feet to six feet nine inches; its wing measures from twenty to twenty-two inches, and tail ten and a half to eleven and a half inches, according to the sex. The plumage of the old bird is dark brown upon the body, each feather being edged with a lighter shade; the head, upper part of the throat, and tail are of snowy whiteness, and the wings black; the eyes, cere, beak, and feet are somewhat paler than in the preceding species. In the young birds the plumage is almost entirely blackish brown, nearly black upon the head, throat, and nape, and presents a lighter appearance upon the back, wings, and breast, owing to the feathers having a white edge. The beak is dark grey, the cere greenish yellow.

THE HARPY EAGLE (Harpyia destructor).

The SEA EAGLE is found throughout the whole of Europe and a large part of Asia; it likewise visits Africa regularly during the winter months. It is certain that more than one species inhabit the European continent, as those found in the more northerly latitudes greatly exceed in size those of Southern Europe. We cannot do better than lay before our readers the description of the habits of this bird as given by Audubon. Near the border of some large stream, "this ruthless tyrant may be seen perched in an erect attitude on the highest summit of the tallest tree, from whence his glistening but stern eye looks down upon the scene beneath. He listens attentively to every sound, glancing now and then around, lest even the light tread of the fawn should pass unheard. His mate is perched on the opposite bank of the river, and, should all be silent, warns him by a cry to remain patient. At this well-known call the male partly opens his broad wings, inclines his body a little downwards, and answers to her voice in tones not unlike the laugh of a maniac; the next moment he resumes his erect attitude, and all is again silent. Ducks of many species, the Teal, the Widgeon, the Mallard, and others, are seen passing and following the course of the current; but the Eagle heeds them not, they are at this time beneath his attention. The next moment, however, the wild trumpet-like scream of a yet distant but approaching swan is heard. A shriek from the female Eagle comes across the stream, for she is fully as alert as her mate. The latter suddenly shakes himself, and with a few touches of his beak arranges his plumage. The snow-white bird is now in sight, her long neck is stretched forward, her eye is on the watch, vigilant as that of her enemy; she approaches, however, and the Eagle has marked her for his prey. As the Swan is passing the dreaded pair, the male Eagle starts from his perch with an awful scream, that to the Swan's ear brings more terror than the report of a gun. Now is the moment to witness the Eagle's powers: he glides through the air like a falling star, and comes upon the timorous quarry, which, in an agony of despair, seeks by various manoeuvres to elude the grasp of his cruel talons. It mounts, it doubles, and willingly would plunge into the stream, were it not prevented by the Eagle, which—long possessed of the knowledge that by such a stratagem the Swan might escape him—forces it to remain in the air, by attempting to strike it with his talons from beneath. The poor Swan has now become much exhausted, and its strength fails it; it is almost at its last gasp, when its ferocious pursuer strikes with its claws the under side of its wing, and, with irresistible power, forces the bird to fall in a slanting direction upon the nearest shore. And now the Eagle presses down his powerful feet, and drives his talons deep into the heart of the dying Swan; he shrieks with delight as he feels the last convulsions of his prey, and the female, who has watched every movement of her mate, now sails to the spot to participate in the gory banquet."

THE SEA EAGLE (HaliaËtos albicilla).

Space will not allow us to quote Audubon's description at greater length, and we must, therefore, endeavour to give particulars of the habits of the Sea Eagles in as few words as possible. All the various species of these birds pass their entire lives upon or in the immediate vicinity of the sea-coast, only ranging further inland during the time that elapses between leaving the nest and choosing a mate. As far as we can ascertain it is an extremely rare occurrence to find a pair of Sea Eagles building upon forest trees, even when the latter are situated in well-watered districts, if at any great distance from the sea-coast. Except during the breeding time they are social, and pass the night together, selecting trees, rocks, or, when the weather is warm, small islands as their resting-places. At the first dawn of day the whole party is astir, and hastens at once in pursuit of food, usually preferring such prey as Ducks, Auks, fish, or the smaller Cetaceans. Homeyer mentions having seen these bold and powerful birds overcome a fox, in spite of the cunning usually displayed by the wary quadruped in eluding danger. Sheep and goats are frequently destroyed. The Sea Eagles dive deep into the water to obtain fish, seize young dog-fishes as they swim close to the mother's side, and have been known even to carry off children. In Kamschatka it is not uncommon for these tyrants of the coast to be drawn under water and drowned, whilst contending with a dolphin or sturgeon; Lenz mentions having seen a Sea Eagle on one occasion seize one of the latter, which was too heavy to be raised from the water; all endeavours of the sturgeon to drag its enemy beneath the waves proved fruitless; the bird would not relinquish its hold, and both floated along together, presenting the appearance of a skiff in full sail. At last some men, who had been attracted by so strange a sight, came up to the struggling combatants in a boat, and succeeded in capturing them both.

In comparison with the flight of the True Eagle, the movements of the HaliaËtos in the air are slow and heavy; upon the ground, however, it moves with great facility, and can dive to a certain depth. In the development of its senses it is not inferior to its more noble relatives, but, unlike them, combines so much cruelty and rapacity with its courage as to deprive its disposition of that majesty popularly attributed to the King of Birds. The breeding season commences about March, and though each male has but one mate during its entire life, many and frequent are the battles that arise about the possession of these often very hardly-earned partners. Count Wodzicki gives an interesting account of the pertinacity and fury with which these disputes are sometimes carried on. Two male Eagles, he tells us, that came under his own observation, fought almost incessantly, falling upon each other with beak and claws, and rolling upon the ground until their feathers flew in all directions and blood flowed. During these encounters the female sat apart, and rewarded the victor by her caresses, with the utmost indifference as to which of the two should obtain her for his mate. After a fortnight spent in constant battles, the strongest bird remained for the time in possession of the field, but no sooner did the pair leave their eyrie, after rearing their young family, than the disappointed rival at once renewed his attacks with so much ferocity as to kill his adversary, after a short but severe struggle.

The eyrie of the Sea Eagle is a large structure, from five to seven feet in diameter, and from one and a half to two feet high, formed externally of branches as thick as a man's arm, and lined with twigs; the interior is rendered warm and soft with down plucked from the mother's breast. The brood consists of from two to four eggs, about three inches long; the shell is thick, rough, and coarsely grained, sometimes white without any markings, and occasionally spotted with red or brown. What period of time elapses before the nestlings escape from the egg is not yet known, but it has been ascertained that both parents assist in the work of incubation. The young do not leave the nest until from ten to thirteen weeks after their birth, and even then return to it at night; it is only as autumn approaches that they finally withdraw from parental care. The Sea Eagle is extremely shy, and therefore captured with great difficulty. In Norway small stone huts are erected for this purpose, outside which a piece of flesh, fastened to a string, is laid upon the ground; the other end of the string is held by a man within the hut, who no sooner perceives that his bait is taken, than he draws up the piece of meat, which the bird will not relinquish, and by this means usually succeeds in bringing the huge creature to close quarters, and killing it or making it prisoner. When caged the Sea Eagle soon becomes tame, and learns to distinguish its friends amid a crowd of strangers; indeed, so thoroughly does it accustom itself to its new life, that one with which we were familiar, having escaped from confinement, used to return every day to visit its companions, and was at last re-captured while perched upon their cage. These Eagles have been killed in various counties in England, and are not uncommon in the rocky parts of the western and northern counties of Ireland; they are said to be common in Scotland, and breed in the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland. Dr. Heysham, in his catalogue of Cumberland animals, says that they breed occasionally in the neighbourhood of Keswick and Ullswater.

THE AFRICAN SCREAMING SEA EAGLE.

The AFRICAN SCREAMING SEA EAGLE (HaliaËtos vocifer) is pure white upon the head, throat, nape, and upper part of the breast and tail; the mantle and quills are blueish black; the edges of the wings, and underside of the latter, are of a rich brownish red; the eye-rings, cere, and feet, light yellow; and the beak blueish black. In the young birds the plumage on the upper part of the head is blackish brown, mingled with white; the nape and back of the head, white, intermixed with brownish grey. The upper portion of the shoulders, and lower part of the back, are white, the feathers tipped with brownish-black spots; the front of the throat and upper part of the breast are white, streaked with brown; the rest of the lower portions of the body being entirely white; the quills are brown, and white at the root; the tail-feathers white, spotted and tipped with brown. The plumage is moulted many times before the bird appears in its full beauty. This species is about twenty-eight inches long; the wing measures nineteen and the tail six inches.

THE WHITE-HEADED SEA EAGLE (HaliaËtos leucocephalus).

The Screaming Sea Eagle was first seen by Le Vaillant in South Africa, afterwards by other travellers in Western Africa, and by ourselves in the interior of that continent, where it appeared to live exclusively upon the banks of the Blue and White Nile. Le Vaillant, on the contrary, found it on the sea-coast, and only exceptionally near large rivers. It is, however, in the primitive forests of Soudan that these beautiful birds are seen in their full glory, and, as they perch side by side among the foliage, afford a spectacle that cannot fail to rivet the traveller's attention, even should he have been long accustomed to the wonders of the African continent. In its life and habits this species resembles its congeners. It lives in pairs, each couple occupying a certain district, usually about half a mile in extent; over this they range from early morning till noon, when they rise into the air and entertain themselves with a variety of evolutions, meanwhile uttering yells that can be heard at a considerable distance. During the afternoon and evening, they sit side by side upon the branch of a tree occasionally bowing their heads, spreading their tails like a fan over the extremities of their wings, and screaming loudly should any strange object appear. Each couple has a favourite resting-place, to which they resort with unfailing regularity. At night they prefer to seek shelter in the inmost recesses of their leafy retreats. We found these birds so entirely without fear at the approach of man as to allow a shot to whistle past them without any indication of alarm: nevertheless, Le Vaillant speaks of them as shy and cautious. The food of the Screaming Sea Eagle consists of fish and carrion, the former is obtained by swooping upon it from a considerable height; the prey is generally carried to the water's edge, and there devoured. We were on one occasion much amused by observing the manner in which a little bird (Hyas Ægypticus) assisted in the demolition of a large fish that had been safely landed and stripped of its flesh by one of these Sea Eagles. The small but courageous pilferer ran with the rapidity of lightning to the spot, seized upon a few scraps, and hurried away to devour them at a distance, repeating this operation till its hunger was appeased, the Eagle meanwhile turning its head from time to time to observe its manoeuvres, but without making any attempt to interfere with its operations. Towards other birds of prey the Sea Eagle is far from exhibiting this amiable disposition, and usually succeeds in overcoming even the Vulture, should the latter interfere with its prey. In Soudan, the period of incubation commences with the rainy season. The eyrie is built upon high trees, or pieces of rock, and is formed of branches lined with some warm and elastic material; the brood consists of two or three purely white eggs. When caged these birds soon become very tame, and accustom themselves so easily to our climate, that they may be allowed to fly about in the open air.

THE AFRICAN SCREAMING SEA EAGLE (HaliaËtos vocifer).

THE OSPREY.

The OSPREY, RIVER EAGLE, or FISH HAWK (Pandion HaliaËtos), although included in this extensive group, may be regarded as forming a connecting link between the Eagles (from which it differs in many essential particulars) and the Kites. In this species the body is comparatively short and powerful, and the head large: the beak rises from immediately beneath the cere, and terminates in a very large hook; the wings, in which the third quill is the longest, extend beyond the by no means short tail. The legs are very robust, and only covered with feathers above the heel; the tarsi are unusually strong, and protected by thick, small scales; the toes, the outermost of which can be turned either backwards or forwards, are short, and armed with short and powerful talons. The plumage of the Osprey is peculiarly smooth and compact; its prevailing colour is yellowish white, marked upon the head and nape with longitudinal blackish brown streaks, the feathers on these parts terminating in sharp points; the rest of the upper part of the body is brown, each feather being bordered with a lighter shade; the tail is brown, striped with black. The under portions of the body are white, or yellowish white; a dark streak passes from the eyes to the middle of the throat, and the breast is adorned either with a collar or shield-shaped patch of brown feathers, which are in some cases distinct, but in others scarcely visible. The eye is bright yellow, the cere and feet lead colour, while the beak and claws are of a brilliant black.

This bird is found throughout the entire continent of Europe, the greater part of Asia, and upon the rivers of Northern and Western Africa. Many naturalists are of opinion that the American Ospreys should be regarded as the same species, so very slightly do they differ from their European representatives, either in their appearance or manner of life. The River Eagle lives almost exclusively upon fish, and passes its life in such places as afford a plentiful supply; it only visits northern regions during the summer months, remaining throughout the rest of the year in warmer latitudes. During the course of its migrations, every piece of water over which it passes is subjected to close inspection, and even the finny inhabitants of the humblest pond are not safe from this most destructive and voracious marauder. Its eyrie is usually constructed upon a high tree, and formed of moss and twigs; the eggs, two or three in number, are greyish white, marked with pale yellowish red spots. Owing to the great strength of its wings, this bird is capable of flying to a very considerable distance from its roosting-place, to which, however, it always returns for rest or shelter. As soon as the mist has cleared away from the surface of the water, the business of the day commences, and about noon the Osprey may be seen careering through the air, preparatory to descending by a series of graceful evolutions upon the river or lake, over which it has hitherto sailed at a considerable altitude. At the first indication of a fish being about to rise, the observant bird arrests its progress, hovers for a moment above the spot, and then swoops down with great velocity upon its prey. All attempts to elude the fierce destroyer are useless, for even should the Osprey be completely submerged during the struggle, it rises again with ease, bearing its prize safely grasped by the back, shakes the water from its wings, and flies away with its victim to a neighbouring tree, or, if too heavy, drags it to the bank there to be devoured. The only exception to this mode of fishing is when the Osprey perceives an eel in the vicinity of the water, this it pounces upon, and transfixes with its "iron talons," and then, after tearing it to pieces, devours some portions of the body, entirely rejecting the entrails. Next to the Otter, this Eagle may be considered as the most destructive of all the many enemies to whose attacks well-stocked ponds and rivers are incessantly exposed, and for this reason it is regarded with great hostility by all cultivators of fish. In North America alone it is treated with favour, being supposed, by a popular superstition, to bring luck to the district in which it builds its nest. With all varieties of swimming birds the Osprey lives upon the most amicable terms, but Crows, Swallows, and Wagtails pursue and harass it so perseveringly that it will often throw down its hardly-earned booty in order to escape from their unrelenting persecution. Traps baited with fish are employed in North America by those who wish to obtain these birds alive; so wary are they, however, that their capture is attended with great difficulty. When caged, even if supplied with plenty of fresh fish, they rarely survive imprisonment for more than a few months, and are, for this reason, numbered amongst the greatest rarities in our aviaries.

In England, as Yarrell informs us, specimens of this bird have been obtained in Surrey, Sussex, and almost every county on the north-east coast. Two or three have been killed in Durham, and they are said to be met with on the north-west coast of Scotland rather more frequently than elsewhere.

Sir W. Jardine says that in Scotland, "a pair or two may be found about most of the Highland lochs where they fish, and, during the breeding season, build on the ruined towers so common on the margins or on the insulated rocks of these wild waters. The nest is an immense fabric of rotten sticks—

'Itself a burden for the tallest tree—'

and is generally placed, if such exists, on the top of the chimney, or, if this be wanting, on the highest summit of the building. An aged tree may sometimes be chosen, but ruins are always preferred, if near water. They have the same propensity for returning to a station with those of America, and, if one is shot, a mate is soon found and brought to the ancient abode. Loch Lomond, Loch Awe, Killchurn Castle, and Loch Menteith, have long been breeding places."

The KITES (Milvi) constitute a group of Falcons, many species of which are to be met with in all parts of the world. Of these birds it is almost impossible to speak in general terms, so very various is their appearance; and we must therefore confine ourselves to saying that they are for the most part slender in shape, with short necks, and small or moderate sized heads. Their wings are always long and pointed, and usually rather narrow; the tail varies considerably in length, but is generally very long and forked—really short tails are only exceptionally met with in this group. The foot, which is either long and weak or small and heavy, is invariably furnished with short toes; the beak is moderate, usually curving directly from its base, and hooked at the extremity, near which it occasionally presents a tooth-like appendage; the claws are slightly rounded and very sharp. The plumage is extremely soft and tolerably dense about the region of the head, forming in some instances a kind of ruff of long feathers which surround the ears, and, when spread out, materially assist the sense of hearing. To these characteristics we can only add that their colours are sometimes pale, and sometimes exceedingly bright. All the various members of this group are remarkable for the excellence of their flight, which differs essentially from that of any other birds of prey. Unlike the True Falcons, their movements are extremely calm and regular—indeed, they may be said to travel through the realms of air without any direct stroke of the wing, a peculiarity which occasionally gives a rocking motion to the flight of some species, the points of the wings being at such times held above the plane of the body. When upon the ground, however, their movements are by no means effected with equal facility—some species walk with ease, while others appear to progress with great difficulty. In all these birds the sense of sight is very highly developed, and such as possess the long feathers around the neck hear with great acuteness; of the delicacy of their sense of taste we cannot speak with any certainty. As regards intelligence, the Kites are decidedly inferior to other Falcons; they are cautious and persevering, cunning and inquisitive, extremely rapacious, but so destitute of courage that we must stigmatise them as mere thieves, amongst whom the reckless deeds of daring often wrought by other members of the fraternity are entirely unknown; indeed, a Kite always prefers to follow in the wake of some other bird of prey, in order to obtain the refuse of its hardly-earned spoil, rather than engage in any struggle on its own account. Great diversity is observable in the mode of life adopted by the various species of Kites; the greater number live entirely apart, not merely from other birds, but from their own kind, while some fly about in pairs—only a few dwell together in small parties: these latter, however, are very sociable, and much attached to their companions. All are alike active and restless; from the first dawn of day till twilight has closed in they may be seen winging their way over the face of the country, occasionally pausing in their varied and beautiful gyrations, to descend slowly earthward and snatch the morsel they have espied from afar.

The food of the Kites consists principally of the smaller quadrupeds, defenceless birds, toads, fish, and various insects. Some species subsist entirely upon the latter diet, and hunt their prey in a manner more resembling that of the Swallow than the mode practised by other Falcons; but very few will devour carrion. On the whole, these birds must be regarded as useful to man, though some are very destructive to his property. The eyrie varies considerably in its construction; sometimes it is built upon rocks or in holes of walls, sometimes on church steeples, trees, bushes, or even the bare ground. The number of eggs varies from one to five; both parents assist in the work of incubation, and tend their young with great assiduity. When caged all the members of this group are easily tamed, and some attach themselves to their keepers, but they entirely lose their vivacity, and are quite unable to survive any lengthened confinement. Among the Bashkirs some species are trained to assist their masters in the chase.

THE SHORT-TAILED KITE.

The SHORT-TAILED KITE, sometimes called the Mountebank (Helotarsus ecaudatus), is a very remarkable bird, inhabiting the continent of Africa, from sixteen degrees north latitude as far as the Cape of Good Hope. In appearance it reminds us of an Eagle, and is recognisable by its short, powerful, compact body, short neck and large head. The wings (in which the second quill is longer than the rest) are of great length, the tail is unusually short, as are the tarsi; the latter are, however, very strong, and well protected by scaly plates. The toes are of medium size, and armed with slightly curved and blunt talons. The plumage is unusually rich in texture, and consists of large broad feathers, with which the head in particular is profusely covered. The coloration of the plumage in adult males is as striking as its general appearance; the head, neck, fore, under, and hinder parts of the body are of a beautiful pale black; the entire tail and upper portion of the back are red. The exterior wing-covers vary from pale brownish red to cream colour; the primary quills are black, the secondaries and shoulder feathers grey, tipped with black, so that these latter form a black border to the wing, the lower side of which is of silvery whiteness. The eye is a beautiful brown, and glitters with a golden light; the back is reddish yellow at the base, and greyish blue towards the tip. The cere, and a bare place round the eyes, are blood red, spotted with reddish yellow. In the young birds the plumage is dark brown, usually deeper in shade on the back than it is beneath, where the feathers have a light greyish brown edge; the feathers upon the throat are light brown, and the secondary quills greyish brown. The eye is reddish brown, the beak, cere, cheek-stripes, and feet blue, the latter shaded with red. The length of the adult female is one foot ten inches, its breadth five feet ten inches; the wing measures one foot nine inches, and the tail not more than five inches. The male is not quite so large.

THE SHORT-TAILED KITE (Helotarsus ecaudatus).

This remarkable bird, whose extraordinary appearance has caused it to be the subject of many strange superstitions among the natives of Africa, is found throughout the whole of that continent, excepting its most northern portions: it lives principally in mountainous districts, but nevertheless constantly makes its appearance in all parts of the widely-extended plains; yet, notwithstanding the frequency with which this bird is seen by travellers, it is by no means easy to obtain possession of a specimen, as it usually soars so high when in flight as to be out of gunshot, and will often pass the entire day in thus sailing over extensive tracts of country; at noon, however, it may generally be found slaking its thirst at a pool of water, or taking a short nap upon a tree near some stream. The afternoon and early evening are spent in the pursuit of food, and it is only when darkness has fully closed in that the "Mountebank" seeks shelter for the night. Le Vaillant mentions having seen this species flying about in pairs, but we ourselves have always found it solitary; during the breeding season alone it is to be found associated with others of its kind in small parties. Speke tells us that the Short-tailed Kite is regarded by some of the African tribes with superstitious dread, its shadow being supposed to bring ill-luck, while others, on the contrary, venerate it on account of its imaginary powers of healing by means of rare medicinal roots which they imagine that it flies to a great distance to obtain. The latter notion has no doubt arisen from the fact that the snakes so frequently devoured by this bird have been mistaken for pieces of roots, when borne by their destroyer to its resting-place. From the strange antics and remarkable appearance of this Kite, it is called by the Abyssinians "The Monkey of the Sky;" and those who have seen it alternately tumbling, gliding, rising, or falling through the air will own that the name is not ill applied. Only when on the wing can the beauty of the Mountebank be fully appreciated; while in the trees its appearance is most ungainly—the body is inflated till it looks like a ball of feathers, and the plumage hangs loose about the neck and face, the head being meanwhile turned about in all directions, after the manner of the Screech Owl. The sight of this bird, like that of other Kites, is very keen, and its powers of hearing excellent. In its wild state it is extremely shy, even towards its congeners; and though it will often engage in serious conflicts, is by no means courageous. In captivity it soon becomes exceedingly tame, and, unlike other birds of prey, quite enjoys being stroked. But little care, either as regards food or climate, is required to keep the Mountebank in health when caged, as it can endure almost any variety of temperature. Gazelles, lambs, sick sheep, young ostriches, and carrion are said to constitute its favourite food, but we cannot vouch for the truth of this statement, as our own observations have led us to the conclusion that this species subsists chiefly upon reptiles, and is equally destructive to snakes of all kinds, whether poisonous or not. When in pursuit of food of this description, it is immediately attracted by the conflagrations that frequently break out upon the vast plains of their native land, and will fly quite close down to the line of fire, snatching its victims as they vainly attempt to escape from the dense cloud of smoke in which they are enveloped; they will, no doubt, if driven by hunger, occasionally eat carrion. The period of incubation commences with the dry season, when, owing to the parched state of the ground, snakes are easily discovered among the burnt-up grass. The eyrie is usually built at the summit of a high tree, and the brood consists, according to Le Vaillant, of from three to four eggs, but we ourselves have never succeeded in finding more than two.

The GLIDING KITES (Elanus) are common in all parts of the world, with the exception of Europe, where they are very rarely met with. This group is composed of four species, resembling each other in an unusual degree. All have compact bodies and thick plumage; their wings, of which the second quill is longer than the rest, extend beyond the tip of the short, slightly excised, and by no means powerful tail. The feet are short, powerful, and only partially covered with feathers, the middle toe is longer than the tarsus, and all the toes are armed with very sharp, hooked talons; the beak, which is short and comparatively high, is much bent, and terminates in a long hook; the margin of the upper mandible bulges slightly outwards. The plumage is extremely silky in its texture, and resembles that of the Owl in the formation of its feathers.

THE TRUE GLIDING KITE.

The TRUE GLIDING KITE (Elanus melanopterus) is of a beautiful greyish blue upon the upper portions of its body, and white beneath; the brow and shoulders are black; the eyes a brilliant red; the beak black; the cere and feet orange. The young are brownish grey on the back, and light yellow, streaked with brownish yellow, on the under parts of the body; most of the feathers are surrounded by a white border. The length of the male is about thirteen and a half and its breadth thirty inches; its wing measures eleven and a half and its tail five and a half inches. The female is somewhat larger. This Kite principally inhabits such tracts of country as are diversified by woodlands and pastures, and usually avoids extensive forests; with this exception, it is found throughout the whole of North-eastern Africa, and is particularly numerous in Egypt. It always lives in pairs, never flying about in parties except when engaged in instructing its young. The couples, however, live close to each other, and may, therefore, often be seen apparently enjoying a social excursion, when in fact, each family is entirely regardless of its neighbours. In its habits the Gliding Kite bears some resemblance both to the Buzzard and the Owl, and is easily recognised either as it flies with the tips of its wings raised much above its body, or when seen quietly perched and glowing with dazzling brilliancy in the rays of a tropical sun. If in pursuit of prey, it glides along at a considerable height above the ground, and, when it descries a victim, hovers for a few moments before swooping heavily down with wings close to its sides; should it be a mouse, or a grasshopper that is thus hastily seized, the former is carried off to a tree to be devoured, the latter immediately swallowed. Young birds are often eaten, but mice, we believe, constitute its principal subsistence. So entirely is this species free from any dread of man, that in Egypt it flies about in the fields close to the native labourers, and will even build its nest upon such orange-trees as are constantly visited by the gardener; it soon, however, becomes cautious if pursued, and learns to keep at a very respectful distance from the European gun. In its relations to such of its feathered companions as are small or harmless, the True Gliding Kite is quite inoffensive, but it pursues the larger birds of prey with loud cries whenever they appear. The voice of this species resembles that of the Tree Falcon; the notes are, however, more prolonged, almost like a whistle, and can be heard at a great distance. In Egypt the period of incubation takes place in the months that correspond with our spring, and in Soudan at the commencement of the rainy season: we have twice found young birds as early as March. The nests were flat in shape, and placed upon low, thickly-foliaged trees, at not more than twenty feet above the ground; they were built of small twigs, and lined with fine fibres and blades of grass, over which was laid a snug bed of wool and mouse's hair. The eggs vary in colour, some being greyish white, thickly but irregularly spotted, and streaked with reddish brown, insomuch that the whitish colour of the shell is scarcely visible. Jerdon mentions these eggs as being pure white; their length is one and a half inches, and their diameter, in the thickest part, about fourteen lines. If taken young from the nest, the Gliding Kite is capable of being made very tame, and soon accustoms itself to life in a cage.

The HOVERING KITES (Ictinia) are American birds, very nearly allied to those we have just described. This group consists of but two species. In these birds the wings—in which the third quill is longer than the rest—are long and pointed; the tail of medium length, and slightly sloping; the feet powerful, but of no great size; the toes are comparatively short, and armed with round and very decidedly curved talons; the beak is short, nearly as broad as it is high, and furnished at its base with rudimentary tooth-like appendages; the plumage is thick and soft, and the individual quills of moderate size.

THE MISSISSIPPI KITE.

The MISSISSIPPI KITE (Ictinia Mississippensis) is about fourteen inches long and thirty-six broad. The head, nape, and entire upper portions of the body are blueish white; the back, wings, and tail, black, enlivened by a greenish gloss; the secondary quills are tipped with greyish white, the outer web of the primaries being of a brilliant red; the eye is deep red; the beak, and a place round the eye, black; the foot is bright red. "When spring arrives," says Audubon, "the Mississippi Kite extends its migrations as high as the city of Memphis, on the noble stream whose name it bears, and along our eastern shores to the Carolinas, where it now and then breeds, feeding the while on lizards, small snakes, and beetles. At times, congregating to the number of twenty or more, these birds are seen sweeping round some tree, catching the large locusts which abound in those countries at an early part of the season. The Mississippi Kite arrives in Lower Louisiana about the middle of April, in parties of five or six, and confines itself to the borders of deep woods, or to those near plantations, not far from the shores of the rivers, lakes, or bayous. It never moves into the interior of the country; plantations lately cleared, and yet covered with tall, dying, girted trees, placed near a creek or bayou, seem to please it best.

"Its flight is graceful, vigorous, protracted, and often extended to a great height, the Fork-tailed Hawk being the only species that can compete with it. At times it floats in the air as if motionless, or sails in broad, regular circles, when, suddenly closing its wings, it glides along to some distance and renews its curves. Now it sweeps, in deep and long undulations, with the swiftness of an arrow, passing almost within touching distance of a branch on which it has observed a small lizard, or an insect it longs for, but from which it again ascends disappointed. Now it is seen to move in hurried zig-zags, as if pursued by a dangerous enemy, sometimes seeming to turn over and over like a Tumbling Pigeon; or it may be observed flying round the trunk of a tree to secure large insects, sweeping with astonishing velocity. While travelling, it moves in the desultory manner followed by Swallows, but at other times it is seen in company with the Fork-tailed Hawk, at a great elevation, among the large flocks of Carrion Crows and Turkey Buzzards, dashing at the former and giving them chase, as if in play, until these cowardly scavengers sweep downwards; it then abandons this apparently agreeable sport to the Hawks, who now continue to gambol undisturbed. When in pursuit of a large insect or a small reptile, this Kite turns its body sideways, throws out its legs, extends its talons, and generally seizes its prey in an instant. It feeds while on wing, apparently with as much ease and comfort as when on the branch of a tall tree. It never alights on the ground; at least, I have never seen it do so, except when wounded, and then it appears extremely awkward. It never attacks birds, or quadrupeds of any kind, with a view of destroying them for food, although it will chase a fox to a considerable distance, screaming loudly all the while, and soon forces a Crow to retreat to the woods."

The eyrie of the Mississippi Kite is always placed at the summit of a lofty tree, the magnificent white oaks and magnolias with which the Southern States are so plentifully adorned being usually preferred. The nest is very simple in its construction, resembling that of the Common Crow; it is composed of twigs thrown lightly together, and lined with Spanish moss, dry leaves, and the bark of the wild vine. The eggs, two or three in number, are round and of a green colour, thickly covered with black or dark chocolate spots. Both parents assist in the work of incubation, and protect their young with so much ardour that they will even attack men, should they attempt to molest the little family. The nestlings when first fledged resemble their parents, and attain their full beauty of plumage before their first migration. The capture of these birds is not difficult, for, though they fly at a very considerable height, they are by no means shy, and, when perched at the summit of a lofty tree, are easily brought down with the gun.

The CROOKED-BILLED KITES (Cymindis) are recognised by their lengthy bodies and unusually long and pointed wings, in which the fourth quill is the longest; the tail is of considerable length, composed of broad feathers, and rounded slightly at its tip; the feet are short and weak, the tarsi slender, and partially covered with feathers on the upper side; the toes are feeble, and furnished with thin, but slightly curved and very long talons; the beak is high, and much compressed at its sides; the culmen is narrow, and the margin straight; the upper mandible extends considerably beyond the under portion of the beak, and terminates in a hook; the plumage is very rich, and composed of large feathers; its markings resemble those of the Hawks.

THE BUZZARD KITE.

The BUZZARD KITE (Cymindis uncinatus) is sixteen inches in length and thirty-three inches broad; the wing measures eleven and the tail seven inches. The plumage of the adult male is uniform light grey, shaded with blue, somewhat lighter on the lower parts of the body; the wing and tail-feathers are of the same pale shade, striped with deep grey—a broad white line passes over the base of the tail-feathers; the eye is of a pearly hue; the upper mandible blackish grey, the lower whitish yellow; the cere, cheek-stripes, and a spot near the eyes, are greyish green; the margin of the mouth yellow; the feet orange colour. The female is of a paler grey, with grey and black waved markings on the wings; the under part of the body is striped with white; and below the broad white streak upon the tail passes a succession of alternate black and grey lines. The back of the young bird is greyish brown, each feather being edged with red; the body underneath is light reddish yellow, transversely striped with rust-red; the primary quills are blackish brown, adorned with light streaks, and bordered with white. When seen from above, the tail exhibits two yellowish grey stripes; beneath, it presents lines of reddish yellow, and is tipped with the same shade.

We learn from the Prince von Wied, and other authorities, that these birds are found throughout a large portion of South America. They are most numerous on the outskirts of forests, more particularly of such as are in the immediate vicinity of the settlements of the planters; and lead for the most part a solitary life. Their appearance is very beautiful, and their flight varied and rapid. The stomachs of such as the Prince von Wied shot were found to contain insects and snails, but they will also eat birds and small quadrupeds. In disposition this species is courageous and fierce. The eyrie is built upon lofty trees, and is generally quite inaccessible.

THE SYAMA.

The SYAMA or BAZA (Baza lophotes) is the most remarkable of the many species of Kites with which we are acquainted. Its length is from thirteen to fourteen inches, its breadth thirty inches; the wing measures nine, and the tail five inches. The beak of this bird is small, much curved and furrowed at the sides; the upper mandible is furnished with two sharp teeth on each side, and the lower one has three or four similar appendages towards the tip. The wings are of moderate size, the third quill being longer than the rest; the tail is square, and of medium length; the tarsi are short, thick, and feathered on the upper side; the toes short, the talons small, and very much curved. The plumage is rich, and forms a crest upon the head; the upper portions of the body and hose are of a brilliant greenish black, as are also the tail and wing-covers; the outer web of the secondary quills is a beautiful nut-brown, the feathers on the shoulders, and some of those on the wing-covers, are white, spotted with brown; these form an uninterrupted white line across the entire wing. The lower parts of the body are white, with five or six nut-brown bands on the sides of the belly. The quills of the wings and tail are of an uniform pale blueish tint.

Jerdon informs us that this bird is found throughout the whole of India; it is, however, scarce in the southern provinces and near Calcutta, but occurs more frequently in the region of the lower Himalayas. It subsists principally upon insects, which it procures from within the recesses of the forests. The Syama is seldom seen in flight; the crest is usually carried erect. These scanty particulars comprise all the information respecting this species that has as yet been obtained.

THE TRUE KITES.

Such of the True Kites as can be united into one group are recognisable by their very lengthy body, small head, feeble beak, large wings, and long, more or less forked tail. Two species of this family are known to breed in Germany, and others are met with in different parts of Europe.

THE BLACK KITE.

The BLACK KITE (Hydroictinia atra) inhabits the southern provinces of Germany, Russia, and Central Asia, as far as Japan. This species is from twenty-one to twenty-three inches long, and from forty-eight to fifty broad; the wing measures sixteen, and the tail from eleven to twelve inches. The distinguishing characteristics of this bird are its somewhat delicate beak, furnished with well developed, tooth-like appendages, and terminating in a long hook; and the shape of its wings, in which the fourth quill is the longest, and the first shorter than the seventh; its tail is, moreover, black and forked. The plumage, composed of narrow feathers, is of a dirty white upon the head, throat, and neck, streaked longitudinally with dark greyish brown; the breast is reddish brown, varied with still darker markings; the feathers on the breast and the hose are rust-red, with black shafts; those on the back, shoulders, and wing-covers are dark brown, with a narrow light border; the upper wing is rust colour, each feather being edged with brownish white, and spotted with black on the shaft. The quills, which are tipped with brownish black, are whitish upon the inner web; the tail is brown, and decorated with from nine to twelve narrow brown and black lines; the beak is black, the cere yellow, the eyes brownish grey, and the feet orange. The plumage of the young is of an uniform brown, the cere and feet of a paler yellow than those of the adult birds; the beak is black, and the eyes dark brown.

The Black Kite is replaced in Africa and South-western Asia by a species known as the Parasite Kite, for which it is frequently mistaken. The former is very commonly met with in Russia and the eastern parts of our continent, where it frequents such woodland districts as are in the vicinity of water, to which it flies daily in search of food, returning at night to sleep upon the trees. The season for migration commences about October; but this bird seldom journeys farther south than Egypt, and returns to its summer quarters in the month of March. The Black Kite is in many respects highly endowed, though by no means worthy to be classed among the nobler Birds of Prey. Its flight is light, hovering, and capable of being long sustained; when upon the ground, its movements are also more graceful than those of most of its congeners, the body and head being held erect. The sight of this species is remarkably acute, and its other senses by no means deficient; its instincts are keen, yet, in spite of these many gifts, the Black Kite must be regarded as one of the most audacious and shameless beggars to be found among the feathered tribes. Too lazy and cowardly to kill its own prey, it devotes its life for the most part to theft, stealing habitually the quarry other birds have obtained, and following and tormenting them with such pertinacity, that at last, out of sheer weariness of its importunities, they throw down the coveted prize; it will, however, destroy rats, mice, and other small quadrupeds, and frequently captures fishes during the spawning season.

Notwithstanding that the cowardice of this bird is so great that a clucking hen could scare it away, it manages to render itself a most troublesome visitor to the farmyard, where its cunning and adroitness stand in the stead of nobler qualities, and enable it, unobserved, to steal many a fat chicken or duckling. When other food is scarce it will consume frogs, and is always attracted by carrion. The breeding season commences about April or May, and is inaugurated by a series of graceful evolutions through the air, in the performance of which both male and female take a share, the former continuing frequently to soar aloft for the entertainment of his mate during such time as family cares confine her to the nest. The eyrie is placed upon a very high tree, and most artistically constructed of dry twigs, with some soft and elastic material, such as moss, hay, shreds of cloth, or even cuttings of paper. The brood, which consists of three or four yellowish or greyish white eggs, either marked or spotted with brown, is tended by the female with great care and affection. The young are reared upon mice, frogs, and occasionally small birds; they remain for a long time in the nest, and even some weeks after leaving it are nourished and instructed by their parents; when this period of tuition is over they separate, each bird going its own way, and beginning life for itself. Towards autumn they all again assemble, previous to setting forth upon their winter migrations. When in captivity the Black Kite soon learns to attach itself to those that feed it.

THE GOVINDA.

The GOVINDA (Hydroictinia Govinda), as the Indian species is called, is found, according to Jerdon, throughout the whole of Hindostan, up to an altitude of 8,000 feet, and is one of the birds commonly met with in India, where it frequents all large towns or populous places, and proves itself a most bold and impudent thief. It will follow travellers in hopes of being able to steal their food, and even snatch a dainty morsel from the table, under the very eyes of its lawful owner. It not only drives its own species and other birds from a meal that has caught its fancy, but often pounces upon fine full-grown Hens and Parrots. Bligh informs us that it will also eat Crows. According to our own observations, the Govindas often congregate in large companies, on which occasions they seem to come together from all parts of the neighbourhood, to hold, as it were, a kind of "palaver," and compare their experiences. The Govinda pairs about Christmas, and breeds from January to April. The nest is placed upon trees or high buildings, and is formed of twigs or branches, lined with some soft material. The eggs are from two to three in number.

THE PARASITE KITE.

The PARASITE KITE (Hydroictinia parasitica) is found in large numbers throughout the whole of North-eastern Africa, and is a constant frequenter of the banks of the Nile and shores of the Red Sea.

Unlike most of its congeners, this bird always seeks the society of man, and, as its name indicates, obtains its principal means of subsistence, not by its own exertions, but by unceasing thefts and petty pilfering; indeed, amongst the many troublesome members of the feathered tribes by which African towns are visited, the Parasite Kite stands pre-eminent for audacity and persevering cunning. Perched upon a lofty palm-tree or slender minaret, it surveys the people that pass beneath with so keen and appreciative an eye, that we have been sometimes almost tempted to imagine that it was actually capable of understanding what the various signs of daily life indicated, and had made the habits of mankind a subject of most sagacious study. Is a sheep led through the streets on its way to the slaughter-house, this bird is sure to follow in the wake, and obtain more than its share of the pickings. Woe to the buyer in the market-place who may happen to accost a neighbour, in momentary forgetfulness of the basket that contains his dinner! In the twinkling of an eye, the watchful thief has swooped noiselessly down, and is off with the prize before the unlucky owner has had time to turn his head. All attempts to frighten the marauder into dropping its booty are upon such occasions entirely useless. Fear of man it has none, and will snatch a tempting morsel from his hand with as much coolness as it exhibits in defrauding its congeners of their hardly-earned repasts. The nobler Birds of Prey appear thoroughly to despise the miserable thief who is constantly hovering about in order to harass them, and at once throw down their prey, as if in contempt of the wily intruder. We have seen the Peregrine Falcon thus cast away four different captures in the course of a few minutes, each time returning to obtain a fresh supply for its own breakfast. The Parasite Kites are usually seen flying about in flocks numbering some fifty or sixty birds; it is only during the breeding season that they live in pairs. The eyrie of this species is built upon a high tree or steeple, and almost every minaret in Cairo is decorated with several of these structures. The eggs, from three to five in number, are laid about February; by the end of May the young are fully fledged, and quite capable of stealing on their own account. The parents exhibit great attachment and courage in their care of their family.

The general appearance and size of the Parasite Kite corresponds very closely with that of the Black Kite, except that the plumage is somewhat lighter than in that bird, and the beak yellow. This species is called "Hitaie" by the Arabs, that word being supposed to represent its cry, of which the first syllable "hi" is very sharp, and the latter much prolonged. This Kite has been the subject of many amusing Eastern fables.

THE PARASITE KITE (Hydroictinia parasitica).

THE RED OR ROYAL KITE.

The RED or ROYAL KITE (Milvus regalis) differs from those of its congeners already described in the comparative strength and height of its beak, which is, moreover, but slightly hooked at its extremity. The first quill of the wing is as long as the seventh; the tail is long, broad, and much forked. The length of the Royal Kite is about two feet, its breadth four and three-quarters: the wing measures one foot and a half, and the tail fourteen inches. The female is about three inches longer and broader than her mate. The plumage of this species consists of broad feathers of a rust-red colour, spotted and marked upon the shafts with blackish brown. The head and neck are white, streaked longitudinally with brown; the points of the wings are black, the tail is rust colour, striped with dark brown. In the young birds the head is yellowish white, spotted with brownish red, and all the feathers on the under parts of the body have a light edge.

The Royal Kite inhabits all the level tracts of the European continent, from the south of Sweden to Spain, and from thence to Siberia, but only appears in mountainous districts during the course of its migrations. They usually make their appearance in Europe about March, and leave for warmer climates in October; when the winter, however, has proved exceptionally mild, some stragglers have been known to remain with us throughout the entire year. The Royal Kites live in pairs, except when about to migrate, at which time they congregate in large parties containing from fifty to a hundred, which fly about in search of food during the day, and pass the night upon trees. These wandering bands extend their flight as far as North-western Africa, but we have rarely seen them in Egypt.

THE RED OR ROYAL KITE

(Milvus regalis).

In times not very remote these Kites seem to have played in England the part of scavengers, much in the same way as the Parasite Kite and Govinda now do in India, for Pennant informs us that in the days of Henry VIII. they flew fearlessly about the streets of London, and cleansed them of the mass of filth, which must otherwise have tainted the air with poisonous vapours. To kill one of these feathered scavengers was, in that reign, a punishable offence. The Royal Kites are indolent and cowardly; they frequently hover for a quarter of an hour in the air without any perceptible movement of the wings, merely steering their course by means of their broad tail, by the aid of which they can likewise soar to an enormous height. When upon the ground their gait is extremely awkward, consisting rather of shuffling hops than of regular steps. In disposition they resemble the species we have already described. Their voice is monotonous and somewhat bleating in its tone, but this sound is varied during the breeding season by a tremulous note, sometimes employed at other seasons to express pleasure or contentment. They live upon small quadrupeds, unfledged birds, snakes, toads, frogs, grasshoppers, beetles, and worms; and though they occasionally annoy the farmer by stealing a chicken, or the sportsman by pouncing upon a young hare, these trifling offences are not worth speaking of when we consider the valuable services rendered by them, for without their most timely aid entire crops would be destroyed. Dozens of mice are often devoured by one Kite in the course of a single day, and incalculable hosts of noxious insects are also consumed by these active but much-reviled friends of the farmer and gardener. When about to breed they prefer taking possession, if possible, of a Falcon's eyrie or Crow's old nest, but should this be impossible, they build much in the same manner as the Kites above described. The eggs, usually two, sometimes three in number, are laid about April, and are white, spotted with red. The female alone broods, and her mate busies himself in procuring food. The young are reared like others of their congeners. The Royal Kite is easily tamed, and, according to our own experience, may be considered as the most interesting and pleasing of all caged Birds of Prey.

THE SWALLOW-TAILED KITE.

The SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (Nauclerus furcatus) is a most beautiful member of this group, belonging to Southern and Central America; many of this species have, however, from time to time found their way to Europe, and it may therefore be considered as in some measure belonging to our continent. This remarkable bird is distinguished by its powerful body, short neck, and small but powerful head. Its wings, which in shape resemble those of the Swallow, are long, and gradually pointed; their third quill being longer than the rest. The tail is very long, and so deeply forked that the exterior feathers are twice as long as those in the centre; the beak, which is of no great size, and rather shallow, curves gently from its base, and terminates in an abrupt hook; the margins are straight but furrowed. The feet are small and powerful, the toes short, and armed with sharp and very crooked talons. The plumage is soft, and composed of large feathers. The entire coat of the adult bird is white, if we except the mantle and tail, which are black, but gleam with a metallic lustre; the inner web of the secondary quills is white towards the tip. In young birds the feathers upon the nape and back of the head have black or very dark shafts, the plumage upon the back is grey and lustreless, the lower wing-covers are also tipped with grey, the exterior secondary quills are pure white. The eye is dark brown, the beak black, the cere blueish grey, the feet are greenish blue, and the claws horn colour. The male is somewhat smaller than its mate, from which it is also recognisable by the pure white of the rump and the brilliant black of the wings. The length of this species is about twenty-three inches, its breadth fifty inches; the tail measures sixteen, and the longest tail-feathers twelve inches.

THE SWALLOW-TAILED KITE

(Nauclerus furcalus).

The Swallow-tailed Kites inhabit all parts of South America, from the South of Brazil to the Southern United States, only appearing, however, in the latter region during the summer months. According to Audubon they visit Louisiana and Mississippi about April, and depart in September. Some few penetrate as far as New York and other Northern States, but they are merely stragglers. These Kites generally live in large flocks, that pass their time in sweeping and hovering over the face of the country, or perching sociably amongst the branches of trees, which, when thus occupied, present a spectacle not easily forgotten. "The flight of this elegant species of Hawk," says Audubon, "is singularly beautiful and protracted; it moves through the air with such ease and grace that it is impossible for any individual who takes the least pleasure in observing birds not to be delighted with the sight of it whilst on the wing. Gliding along by easy flappings, it rises in wide circles to an immense height, inclining in various ways its deeply-forked tail to assist the direction of its course, dives with the rapidity of lightning, and, suddenly checking itself, re-ascends, soars away, and is soon out of sight. At other times a flock of these birds, amounting to fifteen or twenty individuals, is seen hovering around the trees. They dive in rapid succession amongst the branches, glancing along the trunks, and seizing in their course the insects and small lizards of which they are in quest. Their motions are astonishingly rapid, and the deep curves which they describe, their sudden doublings and crossings, and the extreme ease with which they seem to cleave the air, excite the admiration of him who views them while thus employed in searching for food."

Their food, we are told, consists principally, indeed, almost exclusively, of insects. Audubon, however, states that they will also devour lizards and snakes. When in pursuit of insects they hunt after the manner of Swallows, only with this difference, that, unlike those birds, they seize the prey with the foot. As yet all efforts to keep this beautiful species for any length of time in a cage have proved unavailing, owing to the difficulty of providing suitable food.

The CHELIDOPTERI represent a group of African Kites, that resemble the above-described species as regards their general appearance, but are readily distinguishable by the different construction of their feet and wings.

THE DWARF SWALLOW-TAILED KITE.

The DWARF SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (Chelidopterix Riocouri) is of a greyish blue colour upon the upper part of the body, deeper in shade upon the head and shoulders than on the wings and tail. The tips of the tail-feathers of the second order are white, the brow, bridles, cheeks, and under portions of the body pure white; the lower wing-covers and beak are black, and the feet yellow. In length this species measures from thirteen to fourteen inches, of which seven belong to the tail; the wing is about nine inches long. Nothing is known of this rare bird, except that it is an inhabitant of the extensive steppes of Central Africa, and appears regularly in Kordovan. We ourselves have never seen it, except when soaring high in the air, only occasionally coming low enough to be recognised by the naked eye.

The FIELD KITES, or HARRIERS (Circi), are birds of moderate size, characterised by their elongated bodies, long, slender wings, broad but not large tails, long, weak, short-toed feet, and small, but very decidedly-curved beaks, hooked at the extremity, and furnished with blunt denticulations. In some species the feathers on the face are prolonged into a disc, and in all, the third and fourth quills of the wings exceed the rest in length. The plumage is soft and very lax in the region of the neck. The various members of this group belong rather to the earth than to the air, in which they seldom rise to any considerable elevation: their days are passed in hovering over the surface of fields, meadows, and pools, in search of birds, small quadrupeds, toads, and fish: they, however, only capture such prey as either swims or runs on the ground, and never molest birds upon the wing.

This family has been divided into two groups, known respectively as MEADOW KITES (Strigiceps) and MARSH KITES (Circus).

The MEADOW KITES (Strigiceps) are recognisable by the clearly-defined disc upon the face, and by the great variety observable in their plumage at different ages, or according to the sex.

THE BLUE KITE, OR HEN HARRIER.

The BLUE KITE, or HEN HARRIER (Strigiceps cyaneus), is about seventeen inches long, of which eight and a half belong to the tail; its breadth is forty inches, and the length of the wing fourteen inches. The plumage of the adult male is light greyish blue above, and white beneath; the nape is striped with brown and white; the first quill is blackish grey, the five next are black, and only grey or white towards the root, the rest are entirely grey. The tail is ornamented with a few dark spots. The plumage of the female is yellowish brown, with white lines over the eyes, and reddish yellow borders to the feathers on the hinder part of the head; the under part of the body is of the latter colour, streaked longitudinally with brown. The pupil of the eye, cere, and feet, are lemon yellow, and the beak greyish black. The young resemble the mother.

THE KITE OF THE STEPPES, OR PALLID HARRIER.

The KITE OF THE STEPPES, or PALLID HARRIER (Strigiceps pallidus), is about sixteen inches and a half long and thirty-eight and a half broad; its tail measures eight and a quarter and wing thirteen inches. In the general coloration of its plumage this bird differs but little from the species last described, though it is somewhat paler in tint, being of a leaden colour above and pure white upon the lower portions of its body; the tail and wings are distinctly striped with grey, and the wings tipped with black. The adult female is brown; the individual feathers of the mantle edged with a light reddish shade; the under side is pale reddish yellow, streaked with a darker tint. The young are recognised by the uniform colour of their parts. As a distinguishing mark between the Blue Kite and this bird we will add that in the former the fourth quill, and in the latter the third, is longer than the rest.

THE MEADOW KITE, OR ASH-COLOURED HARRIER.

The MEADOW KITE, or ASH-COLOURED HARRIER (Strigiceps cineraceus), must be regarded as representing a distinct group (Glaucopterix). This species is seventeen inches long and forty-two inches broad; the wing measures about fourteen inches, and the tail eight and a half. Its wings are very long, and the facial discs but slightly developed. The head, mantle, throat, and upper part of the breast are in the adult male greyish blue; the feathers upon the belly and legs are white, with reddish shafts. The primary quills are quite black, and the secondaries light greyish blue, marked with irregular black streaks, which form a well-defined border on the outer wing. The tail is ornamented with four or five dark stripes. The adult female and young male are brownish grey, the top of the head being red, striped with black. The lower portions of the body are white, marked indistinctly with reddish spots. The very young birds are of a spotless rust-red beneath, and above are covered with dark brown feathers, these latter being tipped with a reddish shade; the eye is almost surrounded by a large dark brown patch, under which is a white spot; the rump is white, the wing and tail feathers marked with irregular dark spots. The eye of the adult male is bright yellow.

The BLUE KITE, or HEN HARRIER, the first of the three species above described, is found throughout the greatest part of Europe and the whole of Central Asia; it seldom, however, wanders very far south, appearing but rarely in India, and being, we believe, unknown in Africa, where it is replaced by

The PALLID HARRIER (Strigiceps pallidus), which is met with in large numbers from Egypt to the western coast of Africa, but seldom makes its appearance in Southern Europe.

The ASH-COLOURED HARRIER (Strigiceps cineraceus), on the contrary, belongs to the South-eastern countries of the European continent, and the greater part of Asia; it is also common in America. All these three species so closely resemble each other in their habits and mode of life, that we shall confine ourselves to a description of the Blue Kite, merely adding that the names Kite of the Steppes and Meadow Kite, given to the other two, indicate the districts they principally frequent. All are active, bold, and cunning: their flight, which is quiet and uncertain, often consists of a mere hovering in the air; at such times the tips of the pinions are held above the body, and the tail is slightly spread. This peculiarly irregular mode of progression renders it impossible to mistake these Kites for any of their congeners if seen when upon the wing; they usually fly very near the ground, and but rarely soar to any considerable height. According to Naumann they avoid lofty trees, and prefer to perch upon stones or hillocks, sleeping at night amongst grass, reeds, or corn. Our own observations have proved that this peculiarity does not apply to the Pallid species, which both sleeps and perches during the day among the branches of trees, never, however, selecting such as are at the summit, but seeking a resting-place as near the trunk as possible, much after the manner of the Owls. When upon the ground, these Kites run and hop with so much adroitness and activity as frequently to succeed in capturing a mouse, whilst the latter is endeavouring to save its life by speed. The early part of the day is spent in procuring food; at noon they rest, and then resume their labours until the shades of evening have fully closed in: owing to the extreme keenness of their sight and hearing, they are capable of hunting almost in the dark, and can often detect their prey by the sense of hearing alone. In disposition they are so inquisitive that almost any attractive object will bring them down to investigate it. Of their courage we cannot speak in flattering terms, but we have known them join forces with the Crows in order to attack one of the larger tyrants of the air. When caged they are easily tamed; we do not, however, recommend them for domestication. Their voices are not loud, but penetrating. All these birds are eminently useful to man, as they destroy enormous numbers of mice as well as frogs and other reptiles; but they also most unmercifully devour eggs and young birds during the breeding season. We have never seen them touch carrion. The period of incubation commences with the spring. The nest is placed among growing grass or reeds, the parents prudently waiting until it is safely concealed before the eggs are deposited. Naumann describes the eyrie as being a mass of dry twigs, grass, potato stalks, and similar materials, lined with hair, feathers, or moss. Occasionally the nest is merely formed of a little straw or grass, rudely matted together. The brood consists of four or five eggs, round in shape, and having delicate shells; these are of a greenish white colour, sometimes marked with very tiny spots and streaks, but are entirely without lustre. The young are reared upon mice, small birds, frogs, and insects.

THE REED KITE OR MARSH HARRIER (Circus rufus).

THE REED KITE, OR MARSH HARRIER.

The REED KITE, or MARSH HARRIER (Circus rufus), closely resembles the birds above described in its general construction, but its beak is longer and more powerful, and its tarsi more robust; the facial disc, moreover, is only slightly indicated. Its length is twenty-one inches, of which ten belong to the tail; its breadth varies from forty to fifty inches. The female is from one and a half to two inches longer, and three broader than her mate. The plumage of the adult male is often much variegated. The top of the head and brow are brown; the cheeks and throat are covered with pale yellow feathers, having dark shafts; the upper part of the breast is yellow, streaked with brown, and the feathers on the under part of the body are rust colour, tipped with a light shade; most of the secondary quills, and all the tail-feathers, are grey. In the female the top of the head and nape are yellow, striped with brown, the rest of the mantle is reddish brown; the shoulder and upper wing-covers of the axillary region are yellow, streaked with brown; the throat is yellow, the cheeks and fore part of the body reddish brown. The young are usually dark brown, with yellow heads, but vary much in their plumage. The feet of all are pale yellow; the beak is black; the eye of the adult bird yellow; that of the young, nut brown. It is at present uncertain to what countries the habitat of this species is restricted, as it has been occasionally met with in many parts of the world. Marshy districts afford its favourite retreats, and it is constantly seen in the vicinity of water or bog land, carefully avoiding high, dry plains, or mountainous regions. During the winter this Harrier is one of the commonest birds of India and Egypt. It reaches Europe about March, and at once takes possession of its appropriate haunts. In its mode of life and habits it so closely resembles the Blue Kite that further description would be mere repetition. Its food consists principally of water and marsh birds, frogs, fish, and insects; according to Jerdon, it will also eat shrew mice and water rats. Large eggs it opens with great dexterity, small ones are devoured whole; with Swan's eggs it appears to be unable to grapple, for Naumann mentions having seen a Reed Kite turning them over, and vainly endeavouring to get at the interior: it is no doubt from fear of this voracious enemy that many birds are at such pains to conceal their nests. From the breeding season until autumn this species pursues all kinds of Water Fowl with insatiable avidity; it is in vain that the quarry endeavours to elude pursuit by diving; old Ducks alone seem capable of chasing away the unwelcome intruder, who, however, revenges itself for their temerity, by destroying all the unprotected ducklings that stray into its vicinity. In India this bird often exhibits great hardihood; indeed, it is not uncommon for it to seize upon a Snipe at the very moment that the sportsman is about to fire. The eyrie is formed in beds of reeds, and is a mere rude mass of flags, rushes, or similar materials carelessly heaped together. The brood consists of from four to six large greenish-white eggs, which are hatched by the female alone, who is meanwhile entertained by the antics of her mate; the latter amusing himself by performing every conceivable kind of vagary in the air, accompanying his motions by alternately lively and lugubrious cries for whole hours at a time. The young are tended with much care by both parents. As may be imagined, the enemies of the Reed Kite are neither few nor backward in their attacks; the flocks of Crows alone must occasionally make its life wearisome, for they allow no opportunity of annoying or pursuing it to escape their vigilance. In some parts of Asia the Reed Kite is trained to hunt Ducks; but in Europe, as far as we are aware, this has never been attempted.

Several species of Kites inhabiting New Holland, are distinguished from those already described by their plumage. These birds have been grouped together under the name of SPOTTED KITES (Spilocircus).

JARDINE'S SPOTTED KITE.

JARDINE'S SPOTTED KITE (Spilocircus Jardinii) is about the size of the Reed Kite. The feathers upon its cheeks, ear-covers, and the top of its head are nut brown, streaked with blackish brown upon the shafts; the face, breast, and back are dark grey; the under side of the wings, belly, and legs are reddish brown; most of the feathers upon the wings and lower part of the breast are marked with round white spots upon each side of the shaft; the quills are dark, and the tail-feathers striped alternately with brown and grey. The beak is grey at the base, and black at its tip; the feet are yellow, and the eyes orange. The young birds are of an uniform dark brown upon the back, and striped instead of spotted on the lower parts of the body. Gould informs us that the Spotted Kite is found extensively throughout New South Wales, and that it closely resembles its European congeners in its habits and mode of life. Small quadrupeds, birds, lizards, and snakes constitute its principal nourishment. The nest is built upon the ground.

The BUZZARDS (Buteones) constitute a group of somewhat heavily-constructed birds, of moderate size, that are found extensively in both hemispheres, and in almost every latitude. Their bodies are stout, their heads broad, thick, and flat; they all have short beaks, which curve downwards from the base, are comparatively thick at the sides, and without denticulations on the margin. Their necks are short, and their wings long and rounded; in the latter the fourth quill usually exceeds the rest in length. The tail is of moderate size, the tarsi of no great height, and furnished with short, weak toes, which are, however, armed with sharp and formidable talons. The plumage is more or less lax, and composed of long, broad feathers, except upon the head, where they are narrow and pointed, being only exceptionally prolonged into a crest. Dusky hues predominate in the coloration of these birds, and their markings are numerous and very varied.

The Buzzards frequent both mountainous and level districts, preferring, however, such situations as abound in fields and woodlands. During the breeding season each pair takes up its abode in a certain limited district, within which it keeps, never trenching upon the space belonging to a neighbouring couple. Towards other members of the feathered creation they are inoffensive and peaceable, and are only roused to violence should an intruder venture too close to their young family; such as inhabit the northern countries of Europe are migratory in their habits, while those found in southern regions are stationary. All the various species fly slowly, more after the manner of the Eagles than of the Kites; when about to pounce upon their prey, they hover, Falcon-like, for a moment in the air, and then come slowly and heavily down. Upon the ground their movements are ungainly, and their step an awkward attempt at a hop. So strong and keen is the sight of these birds, that they may be very properly termed "eagle-eyed;" their hearing is also good, and their powers of touch and taste well developed.

In spite of the apparent dullness exhibited by the Buzzards, they are superior in intelligence to most of their order, and scarcely deserve to be called rapacious, as when no longer hungry they rarely plunder from mere love of theft; having satisfied their appetite, they seem to trouble themselves no longer about the chase. With other Birds of Prey they would willingly live upon amicable terms; towards the Screech Owl alone they exhibit a most implacable hatred. But the Buzzards themselves have many tormentors, no doubt from the fact that such of their assailants as are light and active find considerable amusement in following and worrying their more ponderous and unwieldy neighbours. Worms, snails, larvÆ, and various kinds of insects, together with some kinds of vegetable food, are eaten in large quantities by these birds, so that their services to the farmer are both extensive and important. Rice they will readily devour, and snakes they perseveringly destroy, even if the encounter necessitates considerable exertion. Their eyrie is built in high trees, and constructed in the most careless manner; the eggs are usually three or four in number, though occasionally the female lays but one. The young remain for a considerable time under the care and tuition of their parents, by whom they are most watchfully tended. If taken from the nest when very young, the Buzzard will become so tame that it may be allowed to fly about at large.

The SNAKE BUZZARDS (CircaËti) have frequently been numbered with the Eagles under the name of Snake Eagles. These are large birds, of a most peculiar type. Their bodies are slender, but powerful, with short neck, large head, and strong beak; the latter curves downwards from the base, is compressed at its sides, and terminates in a long hook. The wings are broad and long, the third or fourth quill exceeding the rest in length; the tail is of moderate size, broad and straight at its extremity; the feet are high, and protected by a thick armature of horny plates; the toes are very short, and furnished with short, sharp, crooked talons. The plumage is lax; and, as in that of the Eagle, the feathers upon the head and nape are pointed at their tip.

THE SNAKE BUZZARD.

THE SNAKE BUZZARD (CircaËtus brachydactylus, or CircaËtus Gallicus).

The SNAKE BUZZARD (CircaËtus brachydactylus, or CircaËtus Gallicus) is from twenty-six to twenty-eight inches long, and from sixty-six to sixty-eight across the wings; the latter measure eighteen, and the tail nine inches. The upper part of the body of this bird is brown, the feathers upon the head and nape pale brown, tipped with a still lighter shade; the quills are blackish brown, edged with two borders, one being white, the other pale brown, and marked with an irregular black line; the tail is brown, broadly tipped with white, and adorned with three black stripes; the brow, throat, and cheeks are whitish, and streaked with delicate brown lines; the crop and upper part of the breast are bright light brown; the rest of the under part of the body is white, with a few brown spots. The large eyes are surmounted with a ring of wool-like down, and the cheek-stripes are covered with bristles; the eye is yellow, the beak blueish black, and the cere and feet light blue. The young differ but slightly from the adult birds.

Until the beginning of the present century this Buzzard was almost entirely unknown, but it is now met with throughout all the countries of Southern Europe. Its habitat, however, extends beyond that continent; indeed, it often wanders far into Northern Africa, and Jerdon mentions it as common in India. In Central Europe it is a summer bird, appearing about May, and departing early in the autumn; its disposition is extremely quiet and indolent, and as it usually prefers to seek shelter in the recesses of forests, is not very frequently seen; in Hindostan, on the contrary (where it breeds), it inhabits the more open country, whether the latter be dry or marshy. In Northern Africa it flies about during the winter in parties of from six to twelve, often settling on such rocks as are near rivers, but more generally upon the open and barren steppes; it has also been known to breed in North-western Africa. The Snake Buzzards, according to our own experience, although quiet and idle, are exceedingly quarrelsome while occupied with the care of their young; at other times they are remarkably timid, and often utter loud cries if disturbed. Those we saw in Africa would remain perched when we approached, and glower at us with their large eyes in a most unearthly manner, without attempting to save themselves by flight. It is only early in the morning and late in the evening that they are seen upon trees, the entire day being spent in searching after prey. While thus employed nothing can exceed the deliberation with which they move; indeed, it would be difficult to find in any other members of the feathered race such a picture of indolence as they present, while they sit motionless at the edge of the water, or flap their way ponderously through the air. Towards its own kind this bird exhibits many most unamiable qualities, for so greedy and envious is it, that should one of its brethren prove fortunate in the chase, a hard-fought battle is sure to ensue, in order to compel the possessor of the coveted morsel ignominiously to resign its prize, and during such encounters the combatants often use their claws with so much effect that, powerless to fly, both fall together to the ground. About noon the Snake Buzzard appears upon the river banks, over which it hops much after the fashion of the Raven. An isolated tree is usually selected for a sleeping-place, as from such a situation the bird can command a view of the surrounding country.

The food of this species consists principally of reptiles, though it also devours large quantities of fish, which, should the water be shallow, it readily obtains; according to Jerdon, it also consumes rats, small birds, crabs, and the larger kinds of insects. The manner in which this bird gives battle to serpents has been thus described: "A young individual in my possession," says Mecklenburg, "would dart down upon any snake, however large or fierce, and after seizing it with its claws behind the head, bite it vigorously several times through the nape; the reptile, thus paralysed, was then swallowed by degrees, commencing with the head, each new mouthful being prepared by a preliminary bite through the backbone. During one forenoon I have seen my bird kill and devour no fewer than three large snakes, one of which measured nearly three feet, and was very thick. I have never known an instance in which it tore its prey to pieces before swallowing it. The scales were usually cast up again undigested." Elliot mentions having seen one of these Buzzards completely enveloped in the folds of a huge poisonous snake, the head of which, however, was held so firmly in the bird's beak, that all its efforts to free itself were fruitless. The thick coat of feathers in which this species is enveloped is its only protection against the deadly fangs of its victims; recent experiments have proved that its system is not, as was once supposed, proof against their poison.

The eyrie of the Snake Buzzard is built about June; it is flat in shape, and formed of branches and twigs; the interior is lined with green leaves, and green branches are also fastened outside to protect the little family from the rays of the sun. It is not uncommon for a pair of these birds to return year after year to the same eyrie. They lay one or two eggs of an oval shape, with very thin, coarse shells, of a blueish white colour. Both parents participate in the labour of incubation, sitting alternately upon the eggs for about twenty-eight days. We are told, on reliable authority, that, if molested, the mother bird removes her young to another place. The Snake Buzzard is easily tamed if taken early from the nest.

The CRESTED BUZZARDS (Spilornis) are a group of very remarkable birds, inhabiting the most southern countries of Asia and Africa. Such species as we are acquainted with are of considerable size, and powerfully built; their pointed wings, in which the fourth quill is the longest, extend to the middle of the tail; the latter is of moderate length, and rounded at the extremity; the tarsus is high, and the talons short and sharp; the beak, which is straight at the base, curves abruptly towards its tip; the margin of the upper mandible is without teeth, whilst that of the lower one is excised near the extremity. The plumage is thick, and prolonged into a crest at the back of the head.

THE BACHA.

The BACHA (Spilornis Bacha), the species we select as an example of this group, is described by Le Vaillant as from twenty-two to twenty-four inches long, of which ten belong to the tail. The plumage is a dusky greyish brown, darkest upon the upper parts of the body; all the feathers upon the borders of the wings, lower portion of the breast, belly, and legs are marked with three or four round, white spots, standing out, by contrast, very distinctly from the dark body; the wings are blackish brown, and the feathers upon their covers bordered with greyish white; the crest is white, tipped with black, as are also the feathers on the brow. The eye is brownish red, the cere and feet yellow, and the beak greyish blue.

The Bacha is found throughout the interior of Southern Africa, Java, Nepaul, and China. According to Le Vaillant, it frequents the most barren and mountainous districts of the countries it inhabits, subsisting upon a variety of small quadrupeds, reptiles, and insects. It passes a solitary life, after the manner of our Buzzard, and is but rarely met with. The voice of this species is very melancholy. The breeding season commences in December; the eyrie, which is most carelessly constructed, is placed in holes of rocks, and usually contains from two to three eggs. Bernstein tells us that such of these birds as inhabit Java live upon the outskirts of the woods, or amongst the groups of trees growing near the villages. In such localities the nest is also built, a thickly-foliaged tree being usually selected for the purpose. The same author describes the eggs as being of a dull white, marked with irregular streaks and spots of reddish brown, which usually lie thickest towards the two ends.

Other species of Crested Buzzards are met with in the Philippine Islands, Ceylon, and India.

THE HONEY BUZZARD.

The HONEY BUZZARD, or WASP KITE (Pernis apivorus) may be regarded as forming the connecting link between the Buzzards and True Kites. In this bird the body, wings, tail, and beak are long, the latter, moreover, is shallow, weak, and but slightly curved towards its tip; the third quill of the wings exceeds the others in length, and the cheek-stripes are covered with short, stiff feathers; the plumage of this species is also harsher, and lies closer than that of the Buzzards above described. Its length is from twenty-three to twenty-four inches, its breadth fifty-two to fifty-four inches; the wing measures fifteen, and the tail nine inches. The plumage varies very considerably, both in its colour and markings, and it is, therefore, difficult to make any decided statements on these points. The male is sometimes of an uniform brown, the tail alone being adorned with three large and several small stripes; the head is greyish blue; sometimes, however, we find the upper parts of the body brown, and the lower spotted more or less with white; or the feathers on these portions white, with brown spots and streaks upon the shafts. The young are usually brown or yellowish brown, the feathers having dark shafts, except those on the nape, which are light. The eye is either golden, or of a silvery whiteness; the beak is black, the cere bright yellow, and the feet lemon colour.

The Honey Buzzard inhabits all the southern and central countries of Southern Europe, and during the course of its migrations frequently journeys as far as Western Africa. In disposition it is cowardly, dull, and indolent; its movements have been described in such contradictory terms, that we can scarcely imagine them to be applied to the same species; according, however, to our own observations, its flight is light and beautiful, it can rise to a great height, and describes an endless variety of evolutions in the air; like most of its congeners, it runs well, and often pursues its prey upon the ground. Its voice is monotonous, and its call-note sometimes prolonged for whole minutes at a time. The food of this species differs from that of any other Bird of Prey, for it lives principally upon wasp-grubs, very carefully avoiding such as are full-grown, and, therefore, protected by their sting. It also devours beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, frogs, mice, and rats; and will frequently linger near a Hawk until the latter has finished its meal, in the hope of securing what is left. During the summer it occasionally eats various kinds of berries.

The eyrie is usually placed at no great height, upon the branches of some sturdy beech or oak; pines and fir-trees being but rarely resorted to. The nest, which the bird is at no pains to conceal, is carelessly constructed of dry twigs, so lightly thrown together that the brood is often visible through its walls. The eggs, from two to four in number, are sometimes round, sometimes oval; the shell is more or less smooth, and either yellowish red or brownish white, marbled with lines of different tints, which, like the colour, are so very variable that any description of them would be useless. The young are reared upon caterpillars, flies, and other insects, with which they are supplied from the crops of the parent birds; at a later period they are fed upon honeycombs, filled with bee-grubs, also upon frogs, birds, and other substantial diet.

Behrends relates the following facts to prove how tame the Honey Buzzard may become: "My bird," he says, "before it had been many weeks in the house, learnt to attach itself not only to certain individuals of the family, but to my dogs, towards one of the latter, in particular, it exhibited great affection, following it about, and perching close to it whilst it slept. This bird was allowed to run at large about the house, and never found a door standing open without calling loudly until it was shut. It answered to the name of 'Jack,' but would only come at my call when hungry, or in a particularly good humour. I have seen it spring on to a lady's lap or shoulder, and play with her hair by drawing a lock through its beak, at the same time uttering a piping kind of cry; it would also raise its wing in order to be scratched, a performance that it much enjoyed. When hungry it used to rush screaming through the house until it found my maid, upon whose dress it clambered in its energetic endeavours to have its wants attended to. If not immediately satisfied its cries became frightful, and it would assume a very pugnacious attitude, as though it would say, 'You had better be careful how you trifle with me.' Bread and milk was the diet it preferred, but it would eat meat, porridge, and potatoes; wasps it merely killed, without eating them. 'Jack' was extremely susceptible to cold, and would hide near the stove during the winter, remaining very quiet, as he knew well that his presence in our sitting-room was against rules. His general demeanour somewhat resembled that of a Crow, his movements were slow and deliberate, and it was only when alarmed or pursued that he sought safety by taking a series of short jumps. I only succeeded in keeping him for three years."

THE CRESTED HONEY BUZZARD.

The CRESTED HONEY BUZZARD (Pernis cristatus) is found throughout the whole of Hindostan, where it inhabits all woodland districts, from the coast to an altitude of 8,000 feet above the sea. This species, which is very closely allied to the bird above described, subsists, like its European congener, upon young bees, wasps, ants, and caterpillars; only occasionally devouring rats, reptiles, and (as we learn from the natives) young birds and eggs. The eyrie is built upon trees; the eggs are of a light colour, and thickly covered with spots.

THE ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD.

The ROUGH-LEGGED or WINTER BUZZARD (Archibuteo lagopus) is distinguished from all its congeners by having its tarsi feathered, like those of the Eagle. The beak of this species is small and narrow, very decidedly curved, and furnished with a long hook; the wings, in which the third and fourth quills exceed the rest in length, extend, when closed, to the end of the long and rounded tail. The plumage is lax, its feathers for the most part large, those upon the head and nape being small, and rounded at the tip; the brow is white, the tips of the wings are dark slate colour, the tail white, its grey tip striped with black; the breast of the male and belly of the female are spotted with blackish brown; the hose are reddish yellow or whitish grey, similarly marked. The coloration of the feathers upon the other parts of the body is a strange mixture of all these different tints. The length of this bird is from twenty-two to twenty-five inches. The female is larger than her mate. The Rough-legged Buzzard is found throughout all the northern countries of the globe, proving itself everywhere to be a very formidable enemy to the Lemming. The eyrie is built upon rocks as well as trees. This bird is sometimes met with in England, where it has been killed once or oftener in almost every county; it has, however, rarely been known to breed here, and is usually obtained in spring or autumn, when changing its latitude from north to south, or vice versÂ.

Sir John Richardson, in his "Zoology of North America," tells us "that this species advances east of the Rocky Mountains, as high as the sixty-eighth parallel. It arrives in the fur countries in April or May, and, having reared its young, retires southward early in October. It is by no means an uncommon bird in the districts through which he travelled, but, being very shy, only one specimen was procured. A pair were seen building their nests with sticks on a lofty tree, standing on a low, moist, alluvial point of land. They sailed round the spot in a wide circle, occasionally settling on the top of a tree, but were too wary to allow an approach within gun shot." In the softness and fulness of its plumage, its feathered legs, and habits, this bird bears some resemblance to an Owl. It flies slowly, sits for a long time on the bough of a tree, watching for mice, frogs, &c., and is often seen skimming over swampy pieces of ground, and hunting for its prey by the subdued daylight which illuminates even the midnight hours in high latitudes. Wilson observes that in Pennsylvania it is in the habit of coursing over the meadows long after the sun has set. It is fitted for this nocturnal chase by the fleeciness of its feathers, which contributes to render its flight noiseless."

THE COMMON BUZZARD.

The COMMON or MOUSE BUZZARD (Buteo vulgaris) is distinguished by its small, narrow, hooked beak, and bare tarsi; its tail is comparatively short, and its plumage less lax than that of the above-mentioned species, which, in other respects, it closely resembles. Its length is from twenty-two to twenty-five inches, its breadth from fifty to fifty-eight inches; the tail measures about nine inches. The coloration of the plumage varies so much in different individuals as to render a general description almost impossible—indeed, no two birds are alike.

The Mouse Buzzards are met with throughout a large part of Europe and Central Asia, appearing in the southern portions of our continent during the winter, and living solitarily in the vicinity of lofty mountains during the summer months. They are rarely seen in Northern Africa, or in the lower parts of India, but are common in certain districts of the Himalayas. In some of the warm countries of Europe they remain throughout the entire year; in such as are more northern, they arrive about March or April, and leave again in September. When about to migrate, these birds congregate in parties of from twenty to a hundred, and as the flocks usually proceed in the same course when quitting us, without actually assembling in large hosts, they often fly so as to spread their numbers over a square mile of country. At such times their flight is slow, and varied by the performance of many elegant evolutions, sweeping about in circles for half-an-hour at a time; and, as they return northwards, they often linger for whole days upon spots likely to afford them a plentiful supply of food. When about to settle, they generally select such localities as are well covered with trees, and in the vicinity of fields or pasture lands, these situations being rich in such game as they prefer; they are, however, found in large forests, and sometimes ascend to a great height in mountain ranges.

THE COMMON OR MOUSE BUZZARD (Buteo vulgaris).

The movements of this Buzzard are characterised by a slowness and clumsiness that render it almost unmistakable, either as it soars slowly aloft, or sits, with body huddled together and ruffled plumage, upon the branch of a tree, from whence it watches with keen eyes, for the appearance of its prey. During the breeding season and early spring, however, these birds exhibit an activity for which we are quite unprepared, and soar to prodigious heights, displaying their skill in a variety of aËrial manoeuvres, apparently for the amusement of their mates. The voice of the Common Buzzard very closely resembles the mewing of a cat; its sight is excellent, its hearing delicate, and the other senses very well developed; its disposition is intelligent, keen, and sly. The eyrie is built, or an old one repaired, about May. This structure is placed upon a tree, and carefully formed of branches, such as are thickest being placed beneath the others; the interior is lined with very fine twigs, moss, hair, and other soft materials. The nest is about two feet in diameter. The brood consists of three or four greenish white eggs, spotted with light brown; the female alone sits, but at a later period both parents co-operate in tending the little family. This species occasionally takes possession of the nests of Crows or Ravens, instead of building on its own account.

Rats, marmots, snakes, and insects are greedily devoured by the Mouse Buzzard, yet, as its name indicates, mice constitute its favourite diet—indeed, so large is the number eaten by this bird, that, according to Lenz, a family of five consumes no less than 50,000 of these destructive animals in the course of a year. We will not attempt to include the next generation in this calculation, or our readers would be involved in a sum as intricate as that with which we are all familiar, respecting the nails in a horse-shoe; if, however, we take into account that the Mouse Buzzard attacks and kills all kinds of snakes, whether poisonous or not, we shall be able in some measure to estimate the very valuable services it renders to the human race. The generally-received impression that this species is proof against the venom of serpents is incorrect, as has been proved in a variety of instances.

THE RED-WINGED OR GRASSHOPPER BUZZARD.

The RED-WINGED or GRASSHOPPER BUZZARD (Poliornis rufipennis) is a small lively bird, inhabiting Central Africa. This species is recognisable by its long, powerful, but slightly curved beak, and over-hanging cere. Its pointed wings, in which the fourth quill is the longest, reach almost to the end of the long tail; the legs are high, and the toes small; the brow white, the mantle brownish grey, the head, nape, and lower portions of the body reddish yellow; the feathers upon the back have dark shafts and light borders, those on the under part of the body are marked with dark streaks; the tail is deep grey, edged with white, and darkly striped towards its tip. The quills are reddish brown, lightest in shade upon the inner web, tipped with black, and having a white border. The cere, bare cheek-stripes, and feet are bright yellow; the beak is deep orange at its base and greyish black at the tip. The length of the male is fourteen inches and a quarter; the wing measures eleven, and the tail six inches and three-quarters.

The Grasshopper Buzzard makes its appearance upon the plains of Central Africa about the rainy season, during which period it finds abundance of food, and after lingering for some time, quits that part of the continent for still warmer regions. In its habits this bird is half Falcon and half Buzzard; like the latter it perches for hours together upon the branches of a tree, surveying the surrounding country, and watching for prey; then, suddenly rising, it flies, with rapid strokes of its wings, to a considerable distance, and, after hovering for a few seconds, swoops down, and pounces upon the grasshopper it has marked for its own. We are without further particulars of the life of this bird.

THE TESA.

The TESA (Poliornis Tesa), the Indian representative of the species above described, is found throughout Hindostan, where it is very numerous both upon pasture land and on open plains. The flight of this Buzzard is rapid, and much resembles that of the Kestrel. When upon the wing it usually keeps near the ground, over which it often runs for some yards, in order to secure its prey, and few prettier sights can be imagined than that presented by this bird as it thus half runs, half flies, in pursuit of the grasshoppers, upon which it mainly subsists; it will also eagerly devour rats, mice, lizards and small snakes, frogs, cray-fish, crabs, and large insects. Burgess tells us he saw a Tesa picking the remains of a full-grown Quail. The eyrie is built upon a tree; the eggs, four in number, are laid about April or May; these are sometimes quite white, or white spotted and marked with brown.

South America possesses a group of Buzzards, distinguished from the birds already described, by the formation of their beak, which is usually thin and shallow. The members of this group are also more slender, and have smaller heads and longer wings than the rest of the family; their wings, in which the fourth quill is the longest, are narrow, very pointed, and extend beyond the end of the long and broad tail; the latter is either graduated or excised at its extremity. Their legs are weak, and the tarsi bare; the toes are long, and armed with long, slender, and slightly bent talons.

THE CARACOLERO.

The CARACOLERO, SNAIL BUZZARD, or HOOK-BEAKED BUZZARD (Rostrhamus hamatus), is one of the members of this group with which we are most familiar. Its length is from sixteen to seventeen inches, and its breadth from forty to forty-two inches; the wing measures from thirteen to thirteen and a half, and the tail from six to six and a half inches. The plumage is of an uniform dark grey, shaded with pale brown upon the back and shoulders; the narrow feathers that clothe the legs are edged with red, the upper tail-covers are white at the base, and bordered with white. The eye is bright blood red, the cere, cheek-stripes, corners of the mouth, half the under mandible, and the legs bright orange; the beak is black. The coloration of the young is very varied, and differs considerably from that of the parent birds.

According to D'Orbigny, the Snail Buzzards are found throughout the whole of South America, where they frequent the margins of lakes and morasses, in large numbers. In their habits they are social, keeping together in parties of about thirty birds; indeed, it is by no means uncommon to see a dozen or more perched on the same tree. When in flight they summon each other with loud cries, and all are constantly upon the watch to detect and warn their companions against approaching danger. Their flight is light, graceful, and rapid, and their attitudes, when perching upon a tree, extremely dignified. Except during the breeding season (respecting which we have no information), they sweep over the face of the country, seldom remaining for any length of time in one place. The food of this species consists of snails, reptiles, fish, and insects. Grundlach tells us that upon one occasion he saw a great number of nests built upon the trees that surrounded a large pond, and was told that they were those of the Caracolero; the young had already quitted the eyries, though it was then only April.

THE URUBITINGA.

The URUBITINGA (Hypomorphnus Urubitinga) is one of the largest Buzzards with which we are acquainted. Its beak is comparatively short, high, and straight towards the base, but from thence it curves downwards in a long hook; the head is large, the wings, in which the third quill is longer than the fourth and fifth, are of moderate size; the tail is very long, and composed of broad feathers. The feet are remarkably high, the tarsi being twice the length of the middle toe; the talons are strong, pointed, and much bent. The plumage is rich in texture. The cheeks, region of the eyes, bridles, and throat are sparsely covered with a bristle-like growth; the eyelids have very well developed eyelashes. The length of this species is about twenty-two inches, and its breadth fifty-one inches; the wing measures fifteen and a half, and the tail nine inches; the female is larger than her mate. In old birds the plumage is principally brownish black; the feathers on the nape are white at their origin, and those on the back gleam with a greyish blue lustre, whilst such as clothe the inner side of the legs are marked with small light streaks. The wings are blackish brown adorned with narrow greyish blue lines; the tail-feathers are blackish brown at the root and tip, white in the middle, and surrounded by a narrow dirty white border. The eye is brownish yellow, the cere and base of the lower mandible yellow, the upper part of the beak greyish black, the feet light yellow. The young are yellow or brownish yellow; the feathers upon the hinder parts have blackish brown spots at their tips, and the wings and tail-feathers are striped with yellow and brown.

The Urubitinga is, without question, the noblest and most courageous member of its family, and, according to the Brazilians, is a very dangerous foe to monkeys, small quadrupeds, birds, lizards, and snakes; it also eagerly devours grasshoppers and snails; in order to obtain these it prefers to make its home in the forests, upon the outskirts of which it loves to linger; it is occasionally, but rarely, seen in the open country. The Prince von Wied tells us that he has often found this bird perched in the branches of some thickly-foliaged tree, surrounded by a host of feathered tormentors, who were doing their best to excite it to frenzy; these amiable endeavours, however, had no visible result; the nobler bird sat still, tranquilly pursuing its meditations, apparently quite unconscious that it was the subject of their gibes and raillery. The flight of the Urubitinga is majestic, and capable of being long sustained; its voice is very shrill, and composed of but two notes. The eyrie is usually constructed upon such inaccessible trees as grow near the banks of a river. We learn from Burmeister that the eggs, two in number, are elongated, and white, spotted with various shades of reddish brown.

The VULTURE FALCONS (Polybori) are a family of birds inhabiting South America. Their bodies are slender, their wings comparatively short, their tails long, broad, and rounded at the extremity; the tarsi are high and thin, the toes weak and of moderate size, the claws pointed and but slightly curved; the beak is long, straight towards its base, hooked at its tip, and straight at the margins. The plumage is harsh, and composed of large feathers; those upon the head are pointed. The cheek-stripes are always, the throat and brow occasionally bare; the eye has long lashes.

The members of this family may be regarded as holding in South America the place occupied in Europe by the Raven, Magpie, and Crow. They frequent all parts of the country in large numbers, and live in such close proximity to man, that they are literally found at his very door. Two species of this group are particularly fond of the society of the human race, and are met with throughout the land, on every spot where even the smallest settlement has been established; others frequent the sea-coast, upon which they obtain the means of subsistence; and some inhabit the woods, feeding, in a great measure, upon fruits and berries. Carrion and offal have, however, the greatest attractions for the Vulture Falcons, and wherever these are to be met with hundreds are certain to appear. The flight of these birds is so peculiar as to cause them to be recognised even at a great distance; in consequence of the equal length of the quills, the wings appear square when extended, and the tail is kept fully spread, whilst they travel through the air with a slow, sweeping kind of stroke; occasionally, however, they fly with considerable rapidity. When upon the ground their gait closely resembles that of the True Vulture. The sight and hearing of this family are keen, and their other senses tolerably acute; that of smell they certainly possess, and the nostrils are always moist. In disposition they are bold and insolent, and would willingly be extremely social; their shrill Hawk-like cry, however, renders it undesirable to cultivate their intimate acquaintance. Their nest is built upon the ground or on the branches of trees; the eggs, from two to six in number, are round, and spotted like those of Falcons. Both parents assist in the cares of incubation, and are much attached to their young. Although extremely numerous in their native land these birds are but seldom brought to Europe, and are therefore always numbered amongst the rarities of our zoological collections.

THE CHIMANGO.

The CHIMANGO (Milvago Chimachima) is one of the most extensively distributed species of this family. The formation of its body is slender, its head large, the wings long and pointed; in the latter the fourth quill exceeds the rest in length. The tail is of moderate size, and slightly rounded; the legs high, slender, and the tarsi sparsely feathered; the toes are long, and armed with very sharp hooked talons; the beak is slender, and terminates in a short hook; the cere is broad, and projects beyond the well-developed nostrils, which are surrounded by a kind of ridge; the throat is but slightly covered with feathers; the bridles and region of the eyes are bare. Dirty white predominates in the plumage of the adult male; the wings, tail, back, and a streak above the eyes that extends to the nape are dark brown; the four exterior quills are white in the middle, and marked with dark spots, thus forming an irregular white line; the other quills are yellowish white at their origin, and streaked with black; the upper portion being blackish brown. The tail-feathers are white, tipped and striped three times with blackish brown. The eye is greyish brown, the beak pale blueish white, brightest towards its tip; the cheek-stripes, cere, eyelids, and a small place round the eye, and the chin are orange colour; the feet are pale blue. But little difference is perceptible in the plumage of the male and female. In the young birds the top of the head and cheeks are dark brown, the sides and back of the neck yellowish white, spotted with brown; the back is dark brown, and some of the feathers are bordered with red. The wing-covers are striped with two shades of brown, the throat is dirty white, the breast blackish brown, each feather being streaked with yellow; the belly is yellowish. The length of this species is fourteen inches and a half, its breadth thirty-one inches; the wing measures about ten, and the tail six inches. The female is a trifle larger than her mate.

The Chimangos inhabit almost the whole of South America, and throughout that continent are met with in great numbers; pasture lands or large open tracts are their favourite resorts, and, if not molested, they will congregate around and upon the houses of the natives; Boeck mentions having often seen them perching in crowds on the roofs, or following the ploughman up and down the fields. They rarely frequent mountains, and then only to a limited height; but at times they are casual visitors to the sea-coast. When upon the ground the Chimango moves with dignified ease, and regards all such as approach it with a proud glance of its eye, that would lead us to imagine its intelligence superior to its position in the economy of Nature. Its flight is far from rapid, and it seldom rises high into the air. According to the Prince von Wied, these birds are never seen flying peaceably about in parties, but exhibit on all occasions such a decided love of quarrelling and strife that even a chance meeting between two of them, if strangers to each other, is likely to be followed by a furious battle. No other Birds of Prey will eat such various kinds of food as are ordinarily devoured by the Chimango, to whose voracious appetite it would seem that nothing comes amiss, even down to the merest refuse from the kitchens of the natives; it much enjoys potatoes, and not only abstracts them from the houses, but will dig them up immediately after it has seen them planted. Of all the hungry crew by which the dead body of a horse or cow is invariably surrounded, this bird is always the last to leave the well-picked bones, and may often be seen, long after the rest have deserted it, running up and down within the skeleton, in the hope of finding an as yet undiscovered morsel; it eagerly devours worms, larvÆ, snails, reptiles, fishes, birds, and small quadrupeds, besides a great variety of other articles of food gleaned from the sea-coast. The voice of the Chimango is extremely harsh and shrill. The breeding season commences in September. The eyrie, which is built upon a tree, is a large shallow structure formed of branches, twigs, and roots. The brood consists of five or six very round eggs, of a reddish or light brown-grey colour, marked with irregularly disposed spots of red or brown, which lie closest at the broad end. During the period of incubation the Chimango is somewhat less quarrelsome towards its associates than at other seasons of the year, and exhibits great affection for its young.

THE VULTURE BUZZARD.

The VULTURE BUZZARD (Milvago Australis) is also a well-known inhabitant of South America, and is particularly numerous in the Falkland Islands. In size this species resembles the Spotted Eagle (Aquila nÆvia). The plumage of the adult birds is deep black, the feathers upon the back, neck, and breast being streaked with white; the hose are bright reddish brown; the origin of the quills and tips of the tail feathers white. The beak is grey, the cere and feet of a yellow shade. The young are without the light streaks upon the neck and breast, the feathers on these parts being speckled with red or reddish white. The quills are rust red at the base, the tail blackish brown, the beak deep brown, and the feet brownish yellow. Abbott tells us that these birds will fall upon and devour such of their own species as have been wounded; and that they are so covetous and inquisitive that he has known them drag a large hat and two balls to the distance of a mile from the spot on which they were first discovered. According to another authority, they are so violent in their disposition that it is not uncommon for them to root up the grass when they are in a particularly troublesome humour. Upon the ground they run with all the agility of a pheasant, and are then very elegant in their appearance; when perched we cannot pay them the same compliment, as their crop is often so enormously distended as to excite strong feelings of disgust. The Vulture Buzzard spends but little of its time in the air, through which it may be said to walk rather than fly, so peculiar and heavy are its movements when upon the wing. It is noisy in its habits, and possesses a loud harsh voice, much resembling that of the Crow; whilst uttering its very disagreeable but varied notes, the head is repeatedly thrown backwards and forwards, after the manner of its congeners. The eyrie is built upon the precipitous rocks that abound upon the coast, and is usually formed of dry blades of tussock grass, lined with wool. The two or three eggs of which a brood consists are round, brown, and variegated with dark spots and streaks. The female lays about November, and Abbott tells us that the young do not attain their full beauty until they are two years old.

THE CARANCHO.

The CARANCHO or TRARO (Polyborus vulgaris or Polyborus Brasiliensis) is found extensively throughout South America. The group of which this bird may be regarded as the type, is characterised by a slender body and powerful wings (in which the third quill is the longest) that extend almost to the end of the tail; the feathers of the latter are ragged at the tips, as in the tail of the Vulture. The legs are long, the toes short, and the talons strong, sharp, and but slightly curved. The beak is large, high, straight at its base, and only slightly bent. The plumage is heavy and lustreless. The feathers upon the head, neck, and breast, are narrow; those on the back large and rounded. The cheek-stripes, as well as the region of the chin and crop, are so sparsely covered with short bristles that they appear to be bare. The length of the Carancho is about one foot two inches; its breadth more than four feet; the wing measures above fourteen, and the tail above seven inches; the feathers upon the top and back of the head can be raised so as to form a crest. The back is dark brown striped with white; the wings are of the same deep shade, streaked with a paler tint upon the posterior quills and wing-covers; the cheeks, chin, throat, and upper part of the breast are white or yellowish white; the sides of the throat and breast streaked like the back. The belly, legs, and rump are of an uniform blackish brown; the tail feathers are white, tipped broadly with blackish brown and thickly covered with extremely fine brown lines; the eye is grey or reddish brown; the cere, cheek-stripes, and the bare space around the eyes brownish yellow; the beak is light blue, and the foot orange colour. The female is larger than her mate, the only other difference in appearance consisting in the comparative paleness of her coloration. The feathers upon the bodies of the young birds are pointed and have light borders, those upon the top of the head being of a deep brown, but with this exception their plumage is very dull and faded in its appearance.

These remarkable birds are frequently met with in pairs, wandering over the plains of South America; but they are most numerous in the extensive regions known as the Steppes or Pampas, or near morasses. When seen upon the ground their appearance is striking and even beautiful; the crest is borne aloft, and each bird moves with an ease and bold bearing that might almost be termed majestic. Animal food of all kinds is greedily devoured by the Caranchos, and they capture mice, small birds, reptiles, snails, and insects, after the manner of Buzzards. Azara tells us that flocks of sheep if not protected by the presence of a good dog, are constantly in danger of falling victims to the attacks of these voracious marauders, who come down in parties of four or five upon the defenceless lambs, and tear out their entrails even while still alive.

The Caranchos, says Mr. Darwin, together with the voracious Chimangos, constantly attend in numbers the estancias and slaughter-houses. If an animal dies on the plain, the Milvago begins the feast, and then the Caranchos pick the bones quite clean. Besides devouring the carrion of large animals, these birds frequent the borders of streams and sea-beaches to pick up whatever the waters cast ashore. In Terra del Fuego and on the west coast of Patagonia they must live exclusively on such supplies. The Caranchos are said to be crafty and to steal great numbers of eggs. They attempt also, together with the Chimango, to pick the scabs from the sore backs of horses and mules; the poor animals on the one hand with ears down and back arched, and on the other the hovering bird of prey eyeing at a distance the disgusting morsel, form a picture that has been described by Captain Head with peculiar spirit and accuracy. A person will discover the necrophagous habits of the Carancho by walking out upon one of the desolate plains and there lying down to go to sleep; for when he awakes he will see on each surrounding hillock one of these birds patiently watching him with an evil eye. If a party goes out hunting with dogs and horses, it will be accompanied during the day by several of these attendants, and in the desert between the rivers Negro and Colorado, numbers constantly attend on the line of road to devour the carcases of the exhausted animals which chance to perish from fatigue and thirst.

These birds are much detested by the inhabitants of the districts where they abound, on account of their raids upon the meat laid out to dry in the fields. They will also steal fowls from under the very eye of the farmer, and destroy eggs in great numbers; we are told that they even pursue Cranes until the unfortunates are compelled to disgorge the meat they have been seen to swallow. These various attacks upon the outer world are generally returned with interest upon the head of the rapacious offender, for not only other birds, but even its own species, allow no opportunity for annoying or harassing it to escape their notice; while another troublesome class of enemies contributes to render the life of these disgusting birds far from enviable; we allude to the vermin with which their plumage is so infested as to render it unadvisable to touch even their dead carcases. The voice of the Carancho is harsh, and has given rise to its name of "Traro," as it consists of two notes—"tr-a-a-a" and "r-o-o-o," uttered in such a manner as to sound like the noise made by striking two pieces of wood together, and the attitudes into which this bird throws itself, whilst vociferating in this strange manner, are most laughable and eccentric. From early morning till sunset, the Carancho is actively employed in the pursuit of prey; at night it perches itself upon the lower branches of some ancient tree, in company with is almost inseparable companion, the Carrion Vulture; it often flies to a distance of some five or six miles in search of one of its favourite resting-places, and should an old tree not be discovered, takes possession of a piece of rock, or of one of the hills raised by the termites. Throughout the entire year the female is never deserted by her mate, and even when these birds are seen in large parties, it is easy to distinguish the respective pairs by their mutual attentions. In Paraguay the breeding season commences in the autumn; in the more central parts of the continent it takes place in the spring. The nest, which is large and flat, is placed on a tree, and formed of branches lined with roots, grass, and moss. The two eggs which form a brood are yellow, spotted with brown or crimson. The young are covered with white down when they first leave the shell, and are for a time tended with great care by their parents; this attention is, however, of short duration, the little family being sent forth early to shift for themselves. These birds are but rarely caged. Audubon informs us that all the brilliant colours that adorn the bare patches upon the body of the Carancho have completely faded within an hour after the death of the bird.

THE CARANCHO OR TRARO (Polyborus vulgaris or Brasiliensis).

THE GANGA.

The GANGA (Ibicter Americanus or Ibicter nudicollis) represents a group known as the SCREAMING BUZZARDS (Ibicter).

The body of this species is slender; its tail so long that the wings only reach as far as its middle portion; the tarsi are of moderate size, and equal the middle toe in length; the beak is long, narrow, and arched gently towards its tip, which is slightly hooked. The bridles, cheeks, and throat are bare, only the small portion of the cheek-stripes that passes behind the cere being covered with very long fine bristles. The length of this species is about twenty-two inches, its breadth forty-two to forty-five inches, the wing measures fifteen inches and a half, and the tail nine and a half. The plumage upon the head, throat, nape, back, wings, tail, breast, and sides of the upper part of the belly are of a resplendent black, which gleams with a green lustre; the lower part of the legs and belly are white. The eyes are bright red; the cere, corners of the mouth, and base of the lower mandible a beautiful light blue; the bare parts of the face reddish brown. The young are paler in their colours and their feathers are surrounded by a brown border; their eyes are brown.

TRACK ACROSS THE PAMPAS.

We learn from the Prince von Wied that this bird inhabits the primitive forests, or such parts of the country as are barren and unfrequented. "It was not," says this author, "until I reached the districts that lie between the rivers IthÉos and Pardo, in fifteen degrees south latitude, that I was surprised by the loud penetrating notes of the Ganga, whose voice sounded strange and unearthly in those deserted regions. This species is of social habits, and, though often found solitary, is as frequently met with in pairs and numerous flocks. Woods are usually preferred for its dwelling-place, as in such localities it easily finds abundance of wasps, bees, and other insects, upon which it chiefly subsists. Whilst occupied in the chase of prey, its deep-toned voice is constantly heard as it flies about from branch to branch." We are told on reliable authority that it also eats large quantities of fruit and berries, and some kinds of reptiles.

THE SECRETARY.

The SECRETARY or CRANE VULTURE (Gypogeranus serpentarius), a member of this family, is one of the most extraordinary birds with which we are acquainted, and well deserves a minute description. Its body is slender, its wings long and straight, the first five quills being of equal length, and there are blunt spurs or excrescences on the carpal joint. The tail is of remarkable length, and very abruptly graduated, the two middle feathers, which are slender, extending far beyond the rest. Owing to the very peculiar construction of the feet, naturalists differ as to the classification of this species, and we have therefore assigned it to no particular group. The principal peculiarity of the Crane Vulture's foot is the disproportionate length of the tarsus; the toes are short and the claws of moderate size, blunt, but slightly curved and very strong. The neck is thick, and the head small, broad, and flat at the top; the beak, which is shorter than the head, is thick, powerful, and vaulted, curving abruptly downwards from its base: the hook in which the upper mandible terminates is of moderate size, and very sharply pointed. The cere extends from below the eyes almost to the middle of the beak. The plumage is thick and formed of large feathers, which are prolonged at the back of the head into a crest, composed of six pairs of feathers placed one behind the other, so that they can be either raised and spread, or laid flat one upon another. The cheek-stripes and region of the eyes are bare. In the coloration of the plumage light greyish blue predominates; the top of the head, crest, nape, quills, and tail feathers, with the exception of the two longest, are black, edged with white at their tip; the belly is striped with black and light grey, the legs with grey and light brown; the two centre tail-feathers are greyish blue, tipped with white, and spotted with black towards the extremity; the lower wing-covers are reddish brown. The crest of the female is shorter and her tail longer than that of her mate, her plumage is also lighter; her legs are striped brown and white, and her belly is entirely of the latter hue. The young resemble their mother. The length of the male is from forty-one to forty-three inches; the wing measures twenty-four inches and the tarsus is one foot long. The female is somewhat larger than her mate.

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:—

"Should the snake assume a threatening attitude, and appear ready to inflict a wound, the bird spreads one of its wings, and holding it like a buckler before the foot with which it is going to transfix its prey, hops backwards and forwards in a variety of strange attitudes. Each attempt to bite is received upon the feathered shield, and when the enemy, finding all its efforts useless, becomes exhausted, it receives either a stunning blow or is cast into the air, as a preliminary to being bitten through the nape, after which it is swallowed either entire or in large pieces. It is supposed by some that the Crane Vulture is proof against the venom of snakes, as it certainly does not reject their poisonous fangs, and we have never heard of an instance in which it has been killed by a bite inflicted during one of these terrible battles." About June or July furious quarrels arise among the birds themselves relative to the choice of a mate, the disputed female becoming the prize of the most powerful of the rivals, and the pair at once commence the work of preparation for a young family. The eyrie is built upon a high tree or thick bush (generally a mimosa), and constructed of branches, plastered together with clay; the very shallow, almost flat, interior of the nest is lined with cotton-wool, feathers, and other soft materials. One of these structures is often employed for many years by the same couple, such repairs as are necessary being made at every recurring breeding season; and it is no uncommon thing for the branches of which the outer walls of the nest are formed to sprout afresh and spread, until the eyrie becomes literally a leafy bower of great beauty. Whilst repairing their dwelling, the pair pass the night in its interior, but the eggs are not laid until the month of August; these are two or three in number, and about the same size as those of a Goose, but somewhat rounder; the shell is either pure white or slightly marked with little red spots. The young are not hatched until after an incubation of about six weeks, and make their appearance covered with a coat of beautiful snow white down; at first they are perfectly helpless, and for a long time remain so weak upon their legs as to be quite unable to quit the nest, in which they sometimes remain for six months. If carefully trained, the Secretary Vulture soon becomes so tame that it may be permitted to run about a farm-yard, where it lives on the most friendly terms with the poultry, and we are told on good authority that, so far from being a troublesome member of the community, this bird not only interferes should a couple of Hens become quarrelsome and try to peck each other, but that it renders important services by clearing away intruding rats and snakes. On this account these birds are so much esteemed at the Cape of Good Hope that a severe penalty is inflicted if one of them is killed. Many and various are the names applied to this species by the natives of the different countries in which it is common; by some it is known as the "Devil's Steed," by others as the "Bird of Fate." We must own that to us these fanciful appellations are quite unintelligible, nor has any Eastern tale we have ever read thrown a light upon their origin; nevertheless our unpoetical imagination at once recognises the appropriateness of its nickname of the "Secretary," as the crest upon its head when laid back looks most comically like the pen stuck behind the ear of some scrivener's clerk.

THE SECRETARY OR CRANE VULTURE (Gypogeranus serpentarius).

The VULTURES (VulturidÆ) are the largest of all the many varieties of Birds of Prey, some of the smaller members of this family being comparable in size with the largest Eagles. The body of the Vultures is short, broad-breasted, and very powerfully framed; the neck is long, and often quite bare; the head sometimes large, sometimes small; the beak is high and straight, except at its tip, which terminates in a hook; its margins are sharp, and the upper half, or in some species one-third of the entire length is covered by a large cere; a slight outward bulging of the edge of the upper mandible is sometimes perceptible, but an actual tooth-like appendage is never met with amongst these birds. Some species possess a comb-like growth of skin above the beak. The wings are very large, broad, and decidedly rounded, the fourth quill exceeding the rest in length; the tail is of moderate size, and composed of fourteen stiff and rounded feathers; exceptional instances however occur, in which the second quill of the wings is the longest, and the tail formed of but twelve feathers. The legs are powerful, but the toes are weak and the talons short, blunt, and but slightly curved, making it at once evident that the feet of the Vulture are not much employed in seizing its prey. In most respects the internal structure of these birds resembles that of the Falcons; the following exceptions, however, are worthy of notice. The neck being longer they have more cervical vertebrÆ, and those of the tail are proportionately broader. The breast-bone is also comparatively low, and the gullet terminates in a crop of great size, which, when filled, projects like a bag from beneath the throat.

Plate 11, Cassell's Book of Birds

THE ANGOLA VULTURE ____ Gyphierax Angolensis

(one third Nat. Size)

[See larger version]

VULTURES FEASTING.

It has always been the custom to speak of the Vultures as most revolting members of the feathered tribes, whose faculties and powers are on a par with their disgusting occupation. That, in the order of Nature, to these birds has been assigned the "scavenger work" is true; nevertheless, in the perfection of the organisation by which they are adapted to the discharge of their important duties, they bear comparison with the most highly-endowed members of the order. They rival the Eagle in their powers of sight and hearing, although they are far from equalling that bird in intelligence. Their disposition is violent but cowardly, and, moreover, exhibits so much stupidity as to prevent their exercising even an ordinary amount of cunning. Indolent they are not, though they frequently linger for hours on the same spot with dishevelled plumage and drooping wings; but, this period of inanition over, they prove themselves capable of walking well upon the ground, and exhibit great command of wing and power of flight whilst skimming lightly and easily, if not rapidly, through the realms of air. All the divisions of our earth, with the exception of New Holland, afford a home to one or other of the various members of this extensive group; the greater number, however, belong to the Eastern Hemisphere. They are as often found on burning and barren plains as on the pinnacles of lofty mountains, from which they soar to a height unattainable by almost any other bird. Such species as frequent highland regions are the most stationary in their habits, although to none of them is that word strictly applicable, their strength of wing enabling them to sweep with ease over the whole face of the country they inhabit. Every town of Africa, Asia, and South America, is visited by a constant succession of these winged scavengers, who clear away a mass of refuse that would otherwise engender pestilence; while other species confine their attention to keeping the plains and fields clear from carcases that would taint the air with death. In India, according to Professor Behn, it is no uncommon thing to see a Vulture perched upon a corpse floating down the river Ganges, endeavouring, with outspread wings, to steer it to the neighbouring bank, there to be devoured. Occasionally, should the pangs of hunger become very keen, these birds have been known to attack sick, but still living animals; they prefer the dead carcases of quadrupeds to any other food, but will also eat reptiles or even fish, and we have seen them engaged in demolishing the remains of a crocodile. We are told that they are gregarious, and often fly together in flocks to seek for carrion, wheeling in large intersecting circles over the country, and thus obtaining a view of its whole surface; twenty birds will, in this manner, easily survey an area of as many miles. Some fly at a great height, while others keep near the ground, so that every spot is thoroughly inspected; when one of the party perceives a dead animal, it wheels round so as to announce the discovery to its nearest companions, who, followed by others from a greater distance, hasten to share the feast; all, even the most remote, steering in a straight line for the desired spot—to which it was formerly erroneously supposed they were directed by the extreme acuteness of their sense of smell. When the skin of the deceased animal is too tough to be rent asunder, the Vultures linger around it, or on the neighbouring trees, where they are joined by others of their kind, all eager to share in the banquet; from time to time they examine the carcase, testing its state with feet and claws, and as soon as it has attained the requisite degree of putridity, fall eagerly to work, the strongest driving off the weaker, who retaliate with all the rage of disappointed hunger, hissing and combating for portions already partially swallowed, and burying their nostrils in the flesh, although every minute compelled to desist in order to clear them from the moist filth which chokes them and stops their breathing. At length by continuing these vigorous attacks, the carcase is soon demolished, and nothing remains but the bare skeleton.

When satiated with the disgusting repast, they usually retire to some quiet spot, there to repose until the process of digestion is accomplished. Many hours are usually required for this purpose, after which they go down to the water to drink and take a bath, the latter being eminently necessary to creatures that generally rise from their repast covered with blood and filth of every description. After bathing they again seek repose for some hours, either lying down upon the sand, or standing with wings outstretched in such a manner as to allow the sun to warm them; but if disturbed during these siestas, it is not uncommon for the Vulture to disgorge its food, previous to seeking safety in flight. Trees or rocks are usually selected as resting-places for the night. Recent experiments have fully proved that the many tales told respecting the distance at which the Vulture can detect carrion are mere fables; they certainly possess the sense of smell, but by no means to the extraordinary degree formerly imagined. These birds breed in the spring time of their native lands, and build their eyries either upon rocks or on the bare ground. The eggs, one or two in number, are round, coarse-grained, and of a yellowish or grey tint, marked with spots or streaks of various patterns. In some species, if not in all, both parents assist in the work of incubation. When hatched the young are usually covered with a thick down, and are so extremely helpless that they are fed with carrion that has been more than half-digested in the crops of the parents. At a later period they exhibit a voracity almost exceeding that which distinguishes them when full grown. Many months elapse before the nestlings are capable of providing for themselves, and during all that time they are tended and instructed with great affection by both father and mother, whose united efforts are often scarcely sufficient to satisfy the cravings of their ravenous offspring.

THE BEARDED VULTURE.

To the BEARDED VULTURE (GypaËtos barbatus) is assigned the first place upon our list, as being the noblest member of the group with which we are acquainted, bearing in some respects a resemblance to the Falcons. The body of this species is elongate, but powerful; its head is large, long, flat in front, and arching upwards towards the back; its neck is short; the wings, in which the third quill is much longer than the first, are of great size and pointed; the long tail is graduated or conical, and composed of twelve feathers; the beak is large; the upper mandible, which is saddle-shaped at its base, rises somewhat towards its tip, and terminates in an abrupt hook; its margins are not incised, and the lower mandible is straight. The feet are short, and by no means powerful; the toes of moderate length, and very weak; the talons strong, and but slightly bent and blunt. The plumage is rich, and composed of large feathers; the origin of the beak is surrounded by bristles, that grow over the cere and beneath the lower mandible, thus forming a kind of beard. The head is covered with small bristle-like feathers, whilst those upon the neck are of large size; the rest of the plumage lies compact and close, except upon the legs, the hose being also formed of large feathers, which extend as far as the toes. In old birds the upper part of the body is black or blackish brown, each of the individual quills being tipped and streaked upon the shaft with white; the under side is reddish yellow or white, spotted here and there with black; greyish brown predominates in the coloration of the young. The skeleton of this bird is remarkably massive. The back-bone contains thirteen vertebrÆ in the neck, eight in the back, and seven in the tail; the breast-bone is long and broad, and its keel very deep.

THE BEARDED VULTURE, OR LÄMMERGEIER (GypaËtos barbatus).

It remains at present undecided whether the Bearded Vultures found throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa are to be regarded as different, or merely as varieties of the same species. Of these the European is the largest, being, according to Tschudi, from four to four and a half feet long and nine and a half broad. The tail measures twenty-one inches. The female is generally larger than her mate. The different species, if such they be, vary somewhat in the coloration of their plumage. The Bearded Vulture, or LÄmmergeier (Lamb Vulture), of the Swiss Alps inhabits all the lofty mountain ranges of Europe, Asia, and Africa, living usually in pairs, or alone, and but rarely appearing in parties of more than five. The flight of this truly formidable bird will bear comparison with that of many Falcons, and its powers of enduring fatigue are very considerable. Upon the ground it steps somewhat after the manner of the Raven, but with much less ease and nimbleness. Most wonderful tales have been told of the Ossifragra (Bone-breaker), as the Bearded Vulture was called by the ancients, from the fact that its favourite method of despatching its victims is by precipitating them from lofty cliffs, in order that the carcase may be shattered by the fall. Gesner, who wrote about the fifteenth century, assures his readers that the eyrie of a LÄmmergeier, found in Germany, "was placed upon three oaks, and was constructed of branches and other materials, so widely extended that a wagon could have been sheltered under it. In this nest were three young birds, already so large as to measure three ells in the spread of their wings. Their legs were thicker than those of a lion, and their claws as the fingers of a man." We smile at such exaggerations as these; there is no doubt, however, that these birds are by far the most dangerous and rapacious of the many feathered tyrants by which mountain ranges are infested. In 1819 so numerous did they become in Saxe Gotha that, after two children had been carried off by them, a price was set upon their heads. They destroy sheep, hares, she-goats, chamois, and calves, in large numbers, and hold even man himself in so little dread that he would be foolhardy indeed who should venture to molest them during the breeding season. From Simpson we learn that marrow-bones constitute the tid-bits of these feathered monsters, and that no sooner is the flesh stripped away than they either swallow the bones entire or dash them to pieces by dropping them upon a piece of rock. They will also devour tortoises, and the writer from whom we quote suggests that it was probably a LÄmmergeier that made the unfortunate mistake of endeavouring to break the hard covering of one of these creatures by letting it fall upon the head of the poet Æschylus, imagining that worthy ancient's bald pate to be a stone.

Such of these birds as inhabit Asia and Africa are equally formidable. Bruce relates a fact that came under his own notice, well calculated to show that those on the latter continent are by no means behind their European congeners, either in audacity or strength. The traveller and his companions, while in the mountains, were seated at their dinner with several large dishes of goat's flesh before them, when a Bearded Vulture suddenly appeared. It did not swoop rapidly from a height, but came slowly flying along the ground, sat down close to the meat, within the ring formed by the men, and deliberately put its foot into the pan in which a large piece of meat was boiling, but, as may be supposed, soon withdrew it; there were, however, two other pieces, a leg and a shoulder; into these it struck its claws and carried them off. After a short time it returned for more, but was shot by one of the men, who by this time had recovered from their astonishment at such an unwelcome and unexpected intrusion.

The breeding time of the Bearded Vulture occurs in Europe during the first months of the year, and in Asia and Africa during the spring. The nest is variously constructed, and we cannot do better than give the words in which those built in Arabia were described by our guides: "The nest of this robber and son of a robber (may Allah curse him and all his generations!) is placed where the sons of Adam can rarely penetrate, and is formed of a huge bed of goat's hair, gathered from the animals the wretch has slaughtered. The nest contains but two eggs, with a white shell, spotted all over with the blood of its prey." The brother of Dr. Brehm was the first European who succeeded in finding one of the many nests built by these birds amid the solitudes of the Pyrenees. This eyrie was about five feet in diameter at its base and its height three feet; the interior was about two feet wide and five inches deep; the sides were constructed of branches varying greatly both in length and thickness; upon these was a heap of twigs, in the middle of which the hollow of the nest was excavated; the interior was lined with a bed of various kinds of hair. The eggs of such European species as we have seen were large and almost spherical, with a coarse-grained, dirty white shell, spotted with reddish brown, dark grey, or ochreous yellow. As may be easily imagined, the capture of these huge and fierce birds is attended with much difficulty; the Swiss endeavour to lure them down during the winter by sprinkling blood upon the snow, or laying a trap baited with carrion near the spots upon which the eyries are built.

The TRUE VULTURES (Vultures) have stout powerful bodies, which are of unusual breadth at the breast; the wings are long, broad, and rounded, their fourth quill being of greater length than the rest; the tail is of medium size, and slightly rounded at its extremity; the individual quills are stiff and ragged, or split towards their tip; the legs are strong, of moderate length, and destitute of feathers; the toes, though long and powerful, are almost useless for grasping; the talons are slightly bent and very blunt. The beak, which is as long as the head, is higher than it is broad, and straight except at its extremity, which terminates in a moderately long and very sharp hook; the mandibles bulge slightly outwards at their margins. The plumage is composed of very long and broad feathers, and does not entirely cover the body, the head and neck are either quite bare or overspread with a slight growth of hair-like down. In some species the legs and belly are covered with down, intermingled upon the latter with long narrow feathers. The bare or thinly-covered portions of the body are often brightly coloured, but the plumage itself is usually sombre and indistinct in its coloration, though occasionally variegated. The eyes are large and expressive, the formation of the nostril differs considerably according to the species. All the members of this group see, hear, and smell with great acuteness, and their intelligence is by no means inferior to that of the Bearded Vulture.

The CONDORS, or WATTLED VULTURES (Sarcorhamphi), as three of the largest species of True Vultures have been called, are at once recognisable by their comparatively slender bodies, long narrow wings, and long tails. The tarsi are high and the toes large; their neck is of moderate size, and the head long; the beak, compressed at the side, terminates in a powerful hook, which, in the male, is decorated above the base of the upper mandible with a kind of fleshy comb, and, in the region of the chin, with wattles or folds of skin. The nostrils are very peculiar in their formation, not having the usual division between them. The plumage is composed of small, brightly coloured feathers, and does not cover the whole body, some parts being left entirely bare. Unlike most of their family, the males of the three known species of Condors are larger than the females.

THE CONDOR.

The CONDOR (Sarcorhamphus gryphus, or Sarcorhamphus condor) has been the subject of even more extravagant tales than its European representative, the LÄmmergeier, as its name of Gryphus or Griffin indicates; indeed, the travellers of former times seem to have thought no anecdotes too absurd to impose upon the popular mind either concerning the bird itself, or other productions of the countries it inhabits. The plumage of the full-grown Condor is principally black, enlivened by a slight metallic lustre; the upper part of the wings is black, but all the quills are tipped with patches of white, which become gradually so broad that the shoulder feathers are almost entirely white, and only black at their origin. The back of the head, face, and throat are blackish grey, the neck flesh colour, and the region of the crop pale red; the fold of skin and two warty lappets on either side of the throat of the male are bright red. In both sexes the neck is surrounded by a ruff of white feathers; the eyes are fiery red, the beak horn colour, and the feet dark brown. Humboldt gives the dimensions of the Condor as follows:—The body three feet three inches, span across the wings eight feet nine inches, and the tail fourteen inches. The female, according to the same authority, is one inch shorter, and nine inches less in breadth.

All the highlands of South America, from Quito to fifteen degrees south latitude, afford a home to this huge bird, whose powers of flight are stupendous; indeed, we are told on reliable authority that it is capable of soaring to an altitude of 22,000 feet above the level of the sea, thus surpassing any other member of the feathered race in its wonderful strength of wing. In Peru and Bolivia it lives and breeds upon the sea-coast, but is by no means so numerous as in mountainous districts. Except during the period of incubation, Condors fly in large parties, spending the entire day in sailing majestically about in search of food, and pass the night perched upon one of their favourite ledges or lofty pinnacles of rock. "Near Lima," says Mr. Darwin, "I once watched several Condors for half-an-hour together. They moved in large curves, sweeping in circles, ascending and descending, without once flapping their pinions. As they glided close to my head I intently watched from an oblique position the outlines of the separate and terminal feathers of their wings. If there had been the slightest vibratory motion these would have been blended together; but they remained distinct under the blue sky. If the bird wished to descend, the wings for a moment collapsed, and then, when again expanded with an altered inclination, the momentum gained by the rapid descent seemed to urge it upward with the steady, even motion of a paper kite."

The food of these gigantic birds consists principally of carrion; but they also destroy pumas, vicunas, sheep, and even calves, and thus work terrible havoc among the flocks and herds of the sturdy mountaineers, who are compelled to train their watch-dogs for the especial duty of barking incessantly as long as one of these formidable marauders is within sight of their flocks. Modern writers all agree in corroborating the statement of the Indians that this species never molests children, and as much as possible avoids the vicinity of man, though, if actually attacked, it displays extraordinary courage, as the following extract from the journal of Sir Francis Head fully shows:—"In riding along the plain I passed a dead horse, about which were forty or fifty Condors. Many of them were gorged and unable to fly from repletion, several were standing on the ground, devouring the carcase, the rest hovering over it. I rode within twenty yards of them, and saw one of them displaying his strength as he lifted the flesh and tore out great pieces, sometimes shaking his head and pulling with his beak, and sometimes pushing with his leg. Got to Mendoza and went to bed. Wakened by one of my party who arrived. He told me that, seeing the Condors hovering in the air, he also had ridden up to the dead horse, and as one of these enormous birds flew about fifty yards off and was unable to go any further, he rode up to him, and, jumping off his horse, seized him by the neck. The contest was as extraordinary as the rencontre was unexpected. My companion said that he had never had such a battle in his life; that he had put his knee upon the bird's breast and tried with all his strength to twist his neck, but that the Condor, objecting to this, struggled violently, and, moreover, that as several others were flying over his head he expected that they would attack him. At last he succeeded in killing his antagonist, and showed me with great pride the large feathers from his wings."

The preparations made by these birds for their young are extremely slight; indeed, in most instances the two eggs laid by the female are deposited upon the bare rock. The eggs are large, the shell yellowish white, spotted with brown. When first hatched, the young are covered with a coat of grey down; they grow but slowly, and remain under the protection of their parents long after they are fully fledged. Some tribes of Indians prize the heart and other portions of the body of the Condor as invaluable specifics for many serious maladies, and more than one modern writer has testified to their efficacy in certain complaints. When caged this gigantic bird has been known to become comparatively tame, and attached to its keeper.

THE CALIFORNIAN CONDOR.

The CALIFORNIAN CONDOR (Sarcorhamphus Californianus), as the second member of this group is called, is found throughout the mountains of California. According to Taylor, this bird is four feet six inches in length (of which fifteen inches belong to the tail), and eight feet four inches across the span of the wings. Its plumage is of an uniform dark brown or black, marked upon the wings with a triangular spot; the breast is dirty white, as are the exterior feathers of the under surface of the wings; the head, with the exception of a three-cornered stripe covered with small feathers, is bright lemon yellow; the neck is of a dirty flesh colour. The habits of this species resemble those of its congeners, but it is found in larger numbers near the coast, and subsists principally upon fish.

THE KING OF THE VULTURES.

The KING OF THE VULTURES (Sarcorhamphus papa) has lately been separated from the preceding under the name of Gyparchus, owing to some slight variety in the shape of its nostrils. This bird, known to the writers of former days under the significant appellation, "King of the Vultures," is well worthy of the place thus assigned to it, both as regards its size and general aspect, as well as for the mastery it asserts over other members of its family. Its plumage is extremely beautiful; the fore part of the back and upper wing-covers are bright reddish white, the belly and lower covers pure white, and the wing and tail deep black; the ruff around the neck, and the outer web of the quills are grey; the top of the head and face are covered with short, stiff, flesh-coloured bristles or feathers. The region of the eye exhibits a number of remarkable warts, which, like the folds of skin that pass over the back of the head, are dark red; the cere, neck, and head are light yellow, the deep, lappet-like wattle is black, the beak yellowish white at its tip, bright red in the middle, and black at its base; the feet are blackish grey, and the eye of a silvery whiteness. The plumage of the young is of an uniform nut brown, darkest upon the back and rump; the lower part of the thighs is white. The length of this species has been variously estimated—Tschudi gives it as thirty-two, Burmeister as thirty-four inches. Its breadth is about sixty-seven inches and a half, the wing measures twenty, and the tail nine inches. The female is larger than her mate, but has a somewhat smaller wattle.

THE CONDOR (Sarcorhamphus gryphus, or Sarcorhamphus condor).

The King of the Vultures is found throughout all the lowland provinces of South America, from thirty-two degrees south latitude as far as Mexico, Teja, and Florida, where it usually frequents the primitive forests or fertile plains. It is occasionally met with upon mountains, at an altitude of 5,000 feet above the level of the sea, but is never seen in barren districts or upon bare rocks. This species mainly subsists upon carrion, and morning has scarcely dawned before it may be seen sweeping over the face of the country, in search of the carcase of some creature that has fallen a victim to the jaguar, or one of the many beasts of prey that abound in large forests. Such a repast once found, the bird does not immediately fall to and gorge itself after the manner of most Vultures, but seats itself at some distance upon the ground, or on a neighbouring tree, from whence, with head sunk between its wings, it casts longing glances at the tempting meal, and appears to be endeavouring to put a very keen edge indeed upon its appetite by this self-enforced abstinence, which often lasts for a full half-hour. This unusual proceeding is followed by an onslaught so vigorous, that the royal glutton forgets its usual vigilant precautions for its own safety, and becomes so completely gorged as to be unable to rise from the spot on which it has breakfasted. Schomburghk tells us that whatever birds may be feasting on a dead animal, the Vulture King no sooner arrives at the scene of action than the busy crowd precipitately retire, leaving it in undisturbed possession of the spoil, and only return in case a few scraps should be left after the unwelcome monarch is fully satiated. Many writers have endeavoured to prove the falsity of this statement, but it tallies exactly with our own observations. We have frequently witnessed similar scenes, in which the disappointed birds never ventured to interfere with the lord of the feast, but perched around upon the trees, devouring with their eyes what was unattainable in a more satisfactory and substantial manner. Opinions also differ considerably as to the habits of this species during the breeding season; we shall, therefore, only say that, according to Burmeister, the King of the Vultures builds upon trees, and that the eggs are white.

THE KING OF THE VULTURES (Sarcorhamphus papa).

The GOOSE VULTURES (Gyps) are recognisable by their elongated body and long, slender wings. The tail is of moderate length, and the tarsi low. The neck, which constitutes the peculiar characteristic of this group, resembles in its formation that of the Goose, and is covered with white downy hair or bristles. The beak is comparatively long and feeble. The plumage is composed of large feathers, and varies in its coloration, according to the age of the bird. The young are easily distinguished from their parents by the fact that the feathers which cover their bodies are long and narrow, and that their necks are enveloped in a streaming, ragged kind of frill. The members of this group are found throughout the whole of the Eastern Hemisphere.

THE TAWNY GOOSE VULTURE.

The TAWNY GOOSE VULTURE (Gyps fulvus), the only species inhabiting Europe, is about forty-one inches long, and ninety-nine broad; the wing measures twenty-six, and the tail eleven inches. Its plumage is almost entirely of a pale tawny colour, darker on the lower parts of the body than upon the back; the large wing-covers are surrounded by a broad white border, the tail-feathers and primary quills are black, the secondaries greyish brown, edged with reddish brown upon the outer web. The eye is light brown, the beak rust colour, and the feet light greyish brown. The plumage of the young is darker than that of the old birds, and the feathers upon their necks are long, brown, and narrow.

This species is frequently met with in the southern countries of Europe, and occasionally appears in the more central provinces of that continent; it also frequents Egypt, Nubia, Algiers, and Morocco; but although it is sometimes seen around the Himalayas, it is replaced in the lowland districts of Hindostan by the Gyps Indicus and Gyps Bengalensis, two very similar birds.

THE SPARROW-HAWK GOOSE VULTURE.

The SPARROW-HAWK GOOSE VULTURE (Gyps RÜppellii), the handsomest member of this group, is three feet two inches long, and seven feet six inches broad; the wing measures two feet, and the tail nine inches and a half. In the adult bird all the large feathers, except the quills and those of the tail, are dark brown, tipped with a dirty white, crescent-shaped patch, thus giving a chequered appearance to the body. The skin of the neck is greyish blue, and shades downwards at its sides into a reddish hue, these colours being distinctly visible through the few scanty feathers with which it is overspread. The eye is silver grey, the beak yellow at the base and grey at the tip, the cere black, and the feet dark grey. The frill around the neck is formed of short, hairy, white feathers. In the young birds the small feathers are dark greyish brown, with yellowish brown shafts, and the quills and tail-feathers blackish brown. The eye is pale reddish brown, the cere and beak are black, the latter tipped with blue; the feet are greenish grey; the ruff is composed of long, narrow, dark brown feathers, each with a yellowish shaft. Several years elapse before the young acquire the full plumage of the adult birds.

The Sparrow-hawk Goose Vulture inhabits Nubia, and all the central portions of Africa with which we are acquainted. The southern portion of that continent possesses another species, the Gyps Kolbii, but of its distinguishing features we cannot speak with certainty. All the various species of Goose Vultures usually frequent mountain ranges, and build their nests on the rocks or upon trees. They live for the most part in very large flocks, which form extensive settlements during the breeding season, and constantly associate with a variety of other birds. In many respects they are inferior to the rest of the family, but their flight is light and elegant, and they walk with such rapidity that a man must run very fast indeed in order to compete with one of them on terra firma. In disposition all are violent and mischievous, and so extremely quarrelsome that battles and disputes are of constant occurrence between them and other Vultures; even those of the same species do not live on much better terms, and often engage in such deadly encounters that they appear entirely regardless of danger, and will allow a man to approach close to them. We have heard, on reliable authority, of an instance in which a shepherd was compelled to employ the "argument of a thick stick" to a couple of Goose Vultures, with which he laid about him very freely before he could persuade them to relinquish their hold upon each other, and retire from the field. According to our own observations, these birds do not begin their search for carrion until the day is far advanced. When they have found a carcase, they at once commence upon the entrails, plunging their heads into the interior, and dragging out their favourite parts with great excitement and violence; LÁzÁr tells us that they often fall upon sick and dying sheep, and kill the poor beasts in this revolting manner.

In Europe the Goose Vulture breeds about March, and places its nest, which is formed of small branches, upon a rock. Many couples often build but a few paces from each other, and it is not unusual to see the nests of the Black Stork and some species of Eagles forming part of their settlements. The brood consists but of one coarse-shelled white egg, which in size resembles that of a Goose. Both parents assist in the somewhat lengthy process of incubation, and tend their little, round, woolly ball of a nestling with great devotion and patience, for so weak is it when it first sees the light, that three months often elapse before it is able to fly. It would be almost impossible to render one of these birds really tame, but we have heard of an instance in which a Goose Vulture became so much attached to an old mastiff belonging to its master, that when the dog died its feathered companion refused to devour the body, even when very hungry, and, after pining for a few days, expired, apparently through grief at its loss. The feathers of the Goose Vulture are much esteemed in Egypt, and large sums, we are told, were formerly paid by Turkish merchants for articles of dress made with them by some tribes of Arabs.

The CRESTED VULTURES are distinguished from the above group by their strength and compactness of body, as well as by their muscular neck, large head, powerful, eagle-like beak, and broad wings. Their plumage is also thicker and softer than in the Goose Vultures; the head is covered with short, curly, wool-like down, which is prolonged at the nape into a kind of crest, the neck and part of the throat are bare, but the lower part is ornamented with a frill, formed of large, broad, dark feathers.

THE COWLED VULTURE.

The COWLED, or BROWN VULTURE (Vultur cinereus), as the European member of this group is called, is forty-one inches and a half long, and eighty-five broad; the wing measures twenty-nine, and the tail fifteen inches. The female is from one inch and a half longer, and from two to three inches broader than her mate. The plumage of this bird is of an uniform dark brown; the beak is marked towards the centre with red or violet, and the bare places on the throat with grey. The plumage of the young is glossier and darker than that of the adults, and the downy feathers on the top of the head are dirty whitish brown.

The Brown Vulture lives and breeds throughout all the most southern countries of Europe, and is met with in Africa in the regions around the Atlas Mountains. In Asia it is becoming extremely numerous, owing, it is supposed, to the rapid spread of disease amongst the cattle, whose carcases afford it a constant supply of food. The movements of this species are distinguished by a dignity that is very unusual amongst the Vultures. Its eye is fiery and intelligent, its bearing much like that of the Eagle, and its entire demeanour calm and almost majestic. Even when feeding, it exhibits none of the haste and violence observable in the Goose Vultures. Its principal food appears to be carrion, but it rarely touches the entrails, usually contenting itself with eating the flesh and swallowing the bones of the prey, which, we are told on good authority, it sometimes kills. Unlike those species above described, the Brown Vulture builds exclusively upon trees; its nest is large, and formed of thick boughs and small branches, the flat interior being lined with thin dry twigs. The one white coarse-shelled egg that constitutes the brood in size resembles that of the Goose. Both parents tend their offspring with great care, and feed it upon flesh for four months, as until that time it is unable to fly. Attempts to render this bird tractable in captivity usually prove fruitless, but instances have been lately known in which the Brown Vulture has been made so tame as to run about a farm-yard on excellent terms with its inhabitants, and to allow children to play with it.

THE TAWNY GOOSE VULTURE (Gyps fulvus).

THE CRESTED VULTURE.

The VARIEGATED or CRESTED VULTURE (Vultur occipitalis) is an inhabitant of Central Africa, and is now regarded as the type of a distinct group (Lophogyps). In this bird the entire upper part of the body, breast, and tail, are covered with black feathers, edged with brown; the region of the crop, belly, feet, and secondary quills are pure white, the primaries black. The crest is composed of white woolly down; the bare neck is blueish white, and covered in front with from eight to ten lines of small blackish warts; the eye is dark brown, the beak blackish blue at its tip, and reddish brown at its base; the lower mandible and cere are light blue; the feet pale purple, or reddish white. The plumage of the young is of an uniform dark blackish brown colour, the eye is grey, the beak red, and the foot white. This species of Crested Vulture inhabits all the woodland districts of California, where it lives either alone or in pairs, and though by no means shy, seldom ventures near towns or villages. In its general habits it closely resembles its congeners already described.

The EARED VULTURES (Otogyps) may be regarded as by far the most powerful members of this voracious family; they are easily recognised by their large strong head and beak, large, broad, and slightly rounded wings, comparatively short tail, long legs, and very peculiar plumage. As respects the latter, only the upper part of the body resembles that of other Vultures, the lower portion being covered with thick, long, greyish down, interspersed with a few long, narrow, sabre-shaped feathers. The legs are covered either with a similar, but longer and reddish yellow down, or with small feathers of the usual description. The head, back of the neck, and entire front of the throat are bare, and the chin is overspread with hair-like feathers. A reddish brown of various shades predominates in the coloration of the plumage; the quills and feathers of the tail have a dark, and those of the large wing-covers a light edge. Yellowish white feathers are often intermixed with those upon the back and nape. The young are distinguished by the darker hue of their plumage, and by the borders to the feathers on the lower part of the body being broader than in the parent birds. The eye is dark brown, the beak grey at its sides, deeper in shade upon the culmen and upon the lower mandible; the feet are light grey, as are the bare parts of the neck: the naked cheeks are violet. When the bird is excited these bare places become bright red.

The Eared Vultures are found throughout Africa, and have occasionally visited Europe. In Asia they are replaced by the Sukuni, or Bald Vulture (Otogyps calvus). In their habits they are bold and social, and everywhere frequent the vicinity of man, coming down into the villages with the utmost confidence, in order to gather up the refuse thrown from the slaughter-houses and dwellings. With such extraordinary eagerness and voracity do these birds attack their prey, that (as Jerdon witnessed) a party of Vultures devoured the body of a dead dog, and picked the bones completely clean in the course of a few minutes. The toils of the day completed, they go in search of water, and, after preening themselves, lie down to roll in the sand and bask in the sunshine; this performance over they retire to their sleeping-place in a tree, where they perch bolt upright, with head drawn in, and tail hanging loosely down, until a late hour in the following morning. So large an amount of rest do these Vultures require, that they do not commence the duties of the day until about ten o'clock, and seldom seek for food after about four or five in the afternoon; and, so soundly do they sleep, that upon one occasion we rode around the tree in which a large party was perched without arousing them. A shot fired amongst them only had the effect of causing them to rise drowsily into the air, and fly heavily to a distance of about five hundred paces, when they again settled upon some branches to finish their interrupted slumbers. The flight of these birds is very graceful, and particularly quiet and easy. When about to descend they open their wings, stretch out their feet, and reach the ground in a direct line, without the slightest movement of their broad pinions. The nests are built close to each other, upon a ledge of rock, and thus form a kind of settlement, which is for the most part quite inaccessible, owing to the precipitous nature of the locality usually selected; we have, however, made various successful attempts to reach them with the help of a Hottentot guide, but found the stench from the eyries intolerable, and the surrounding rock perilously slippery, being, as it were, polished by constant friction. The brood consists but of one white egg, which is laid about October: the nestling, when first hatched, is covered with white down, and is not fully fledged until the month of January. The Eared Vulture thrives in captivity, and can easily be rendered very tame.

The RAVEN VULTURES (CathartÆ), a group of much smaller birds than those above described, are recognisable by their long beaks, pointed wings, and slender tarsi; their heads are either wholly or partially bare, and in some species covered with warts. The members of this group, as their name suggests, in many respects resemble the Ravens, and may be regarded as replacing those birds throughout South America, whilst such as are found in Africa and India associate freely with Crows, and lead a very similar life. The nest is usually built upon rocks or trees, and the brood consists of one, or at most of two eggs.

The SCAVENGER or EGYPTIAN RAVEN VULTURE (Percnopterus stercorarius or Neophron Percnopterus), by far the most celebrated bird of the above group, was called by the ancient Egyptians "Pharaoh's Hen," and was treated with a considerable amount of superstitious reverence. This bird has been in all ages a favourite subject for the pencil of Eastern artists, and even at the present day the Egyptians preserve some remnant of the respect with which this remarkable species was formerly regarded. It is distinguished from its congeners by its long, pointed wings, by its graduated tail, which is of considerable length, and by the peculiarities of its plumage. Its beak is slender, and more than half covered by the cere; the upper mandible terminates in a long but feeble hook; the foot is weak, and its middle toe almost as long as the tarsus; the talons are of moderate size and but slightly curved. The third quill of the wing exceeds the rest in length, the second is larger than the fourth, and the sixth longer than the first. The exterior tail feathers are only about two-thirds the length of those in the centre. The plumage is extremely soft, and composed of large feathers, which become much longer and broader upon the nape and upper part of the back. In colour this species varies much, according to the age of the bird, but there is no perceptible difference in this respect between the male and female. In the coloration of the adults a dirty white predominates, which shades into deep yellow on the throat and upper part of the breast, but becomes somewhat purer in its tint on the back and belly; the primary quills are black, the shoulder feathers grey, the colour of the eye varies from reddish brown to light yellow; the bare portions of the head, warts upon the throat, and upper part of beak are bright orange, the latter being tipped with greyish blue; the skin of the neck is paler than that of the head, and the wings are blueish red, or light greyish yellow. In young birds, on the contrary, the shoulders, upper wing-covers, a stripe across the middle of the breast and belly, the frill around the throat, the neck, the rump, and tail-feathers are grey; the throat, breast, belly, and quills of a blackish brown; the feathers on the top of the leg are chequered grey and black; those at the side of the neck have brown shafts and tips. The face, cere, and head are deep grey; the eye is dark brown, the beak black, and the leg light grey. The body of the female is from twenty-five to twenty-seven inches long; her breadth from sixty-one to sixty-three inches; the wing measures eighteen inches and the tail nine and a half. The Scavenger Vultures are frequently met with throughout all the southern countries of Europe, and are very numerous in Western and Southern Asia, and in all parts of Africa, with the exception perhaps of the western coast. Such of these birds as are met with in Europe, migrate to warmer regions, whilst those inhabiting Asia and Africa are stationary throughout the year.

It would be impossible to over-estimate the immense services rendered to man by the Scavenger Vultures, to whose appetite no kind of filth or refuse comes amiss. They devour carrion freely, but this forms by no means their principal subsistence; offal of all kinds they consume with avidity, and were it not that Providence had assigned to these most active birds the task of clearing away the garbage that the inhabitants of tropical and of some European cities are too indolent to remove, fever and pestilence would rage with unremitting fury. Many writers speak of these invaluable benefactors to humanity in terms of strong disgust, but for our own part we consider this by no means warrantable. Ugly they certainly are, and the odours they spread around them somewhat of the strongest; but there is such a thing as the beauty of fitness, and, to our minds, this is possessed by the Scavenger Vultures in an eminent degree, so exactly are they adapted to the part they have to play in the economy of Nature. So totally are these birds destitute of fear, that they not only approach, but enter the houses requiring their ministrations, and we have frequently seen them busied in clearing away the refuse strewn about the tents of the Arabs, or accompanying caravans for a whole day in the hope of obtaining the scraps thrown away by the travellers. Unlike many of its congeners, the Neophron does not usually smear itself over with filth whilst eating; it even appears to exercise a certain care in this particular, as it steps quietly about, feeding after the manner of a Barn-door Fowl. When satiated it retires to a quiet tree or rock, and there remains in a kind of indolent doze, while the work of digestion is going on, a process which often occupies several hours. When about to fly it springs from the ground with considerable force, and, after a few sharp strokes of its wings, floats slowly and gracefully through the air, without any further movement of its wings. This species is very sociable, and flies about either in pairs or small parties, which usually form a settlement during the breeding season, building their nests as near to each other as possible, upon rocks, pagodas, tombs, or similar situations. The nest is made of twigs and a variety of materials, of which rags often form a part. The brood generally consists of two long eggs of a yellowish white colour, spotted with yellowish or reddish brown; we have seen them also marbled all over with deep crimson lines. The young are covered with greyish down when first hatched, and are fed with food regurgitated from the crop of the parent birds; many months elapse before they are fully capable of providing for their own wants. If trained while young, the Scavenger Vulture is as tractable as a Barn-door Fowl, and will learn to follow its master about with the affection of a dog. According to old Gesner, the gall of this species was regarded in his time as an infallible remedy for many most dissimilar complaints.

THE MONK VULTURE.

THE MONK VULTURE (Neophron pileatus).

AFRICAN VULTURES (Gyps fulvus).

The MONK VULTURE (Neophron pileatus) resembles the bird last mentioned in several respects, but differs from it in many particulars; the beak being comparatively short and the wings broader; the tail projects in a straight line; the forehead and the back of the head and nape are covered with a short woolly growth of feathers; the bare portions of the face and throat are also larger than in the Scavenger Vulture; the apertures of the ears are well developed, indeed almost muscular, and the fore part of the throat is covered with wart-like excrescences. The plumage is of an uniform chocolate brown, while the soft feathers at the back of the head are grey. The beak is greyish blue, darkest at its tip; the foot pale grey, the cere light violet, the bare head and throat are blueish red. The young are recognisable by the comparative paleness of their tints, and the dark brown colour of the back of the neck, the smooth skin upon the throat, and their less conspicuous ears. The length of this species is twenty-six, its breadth sixty-six inches; the wing measures seventeen inches, and the tail nine and a half.

THE SCAVENGER, OR EGYPTIAN VULTURE (Percnopterus stercorarius or Neophron Percnopterus).

The Monk Vulture is met with throughout almost the whole of the African continent, but is especially numerous upon the banks of the Blue and White Nile and on the shores of the Red Sea. So common is it in Abyssinia and Massowah, that large parties are often seen perching about the roofs and trees, as the crows do with us, or picking up their food around the houses with the utmost confidence and fearlessness. Before the natives have left their huts in the morning, these active servants are at the door, ready to begin their task of cleansing, as soon as the family will allow them to enter and remove whatever filth may have accumulated. So extremely feeble is the beak of these birds, that they seem to be almost entirely dependent upon man for the means of subsistence; and those who have never visited tropical countries can scarcely imagine how ably and perseveringly they perform the work that has been assigned to them. The movements of the Monk Vultures are active, and their habits very social; even during the breeding season the parties do not separate, but form settlements upon such groups of suitable trees as are at some distance from the towns and villages. The nests are usually placed upon the higher branches, and do not exceed one foot in diameter; they are flat in shape, and formed of twigs very nicely woven together; the interior is so small as to be capable of containing but one nestling. The solitary egg is round, coarse-shelled, and usually of a greyish white, thickly sprinkled with yellow spots. Both parents assist in the work of incubation, the male bird relieving his mate during the mid-day hours. The young grow very slowly, and after leaving the nest, subsist, according to Heuglin, upon such food as they can pick up on the sea-shore or river banks.

THE URUBU, OR TURKEY BUZZARD.

The URUBU (Cathartes aura) is the first of the two species of American Vultures that we have selected from amongst the many varieties inhabiting the western continent, all of which, though differing somewhat in appearance, bear so close a resemblance to each other in their habits and mode of life that we shall content ourselves with speaking of them collectively. The Urubu or "Turkey Buzzard," as it is called in North America, is distinguished by its short thick beak, graduated tail, and low tarsi. The head and bare parts of the neck are of a flesh colour, deepest at the base of the beak, and become gradually paler towards the nape; the top of the head is violet. The skin upon the brow and nape hangs in thick folds, and that of the throat is overspread with orange-coloured warts; a few bristle-like feathers are scattered over the crown of the head and around the ears; the entire body, wings, and tail are brownish black, and gleam with a metallic lustre. The beak is pale red, and partially covered by the cere, in the upper part of which the large oval nostrils are situated; the eyes are bright red, and have a blueish grey circle around the pupil. The length of this species is about twenty-two and its breadth sixty-three inches; the wing measures nineteen inches and the tail ten and a half.

THE GALLINAZO.

The GALLINAZO (Coragyps atratus), as the second species is called, possesses a rather longer and thinner beak, comparatively high tarsi, and a shorter tail, which is straight at its extremity. The bare head and fore part of the throat are dark grey, deepening in some parts into black; the body, wings, and tail are pale black, shaded with reddish brown. The wing-feathers are white at their origin, the eyes dark brown, the beak blackish brown, whitish at the tip. The top of the head, from the base of the upper mandible to the nape, is covered with a regular succession of folds of skin, placed one behind the other. The length of this bird is twenty-three, its breadth fifty-two inches; the wing measures fifteen, and the tail about seven inches.

THE URUBU (Cathartes aura).

Both the Urubu and Gallinazo are found in large numbers throughout the whole of the American continent, and both appear to avoid the summits of mountain ranges. The Urubu lives for the most part in the vicinity of the coast; whilst the Gallinazo, on the contrary, frequents the towns and villages, occasionally, but rarely, appearing in mountainous districts. So highly do the Americans value the services rendered by these Vultures, that in some districts it is considered a punishable offence to kill them. Wilson tells us that "the Turkey Buzzards are gregarious, peaceable, and harmless, never offering any violence to any living animal, or, like the plunderers of the Falco tribe, depriving the husbandman of his stock. Hence, though in consequence of their filthy habits they are not beloved, yet they are respected for their usefulness; and in the Southern States, where they are most needed, they, as well as the Black Vultures, are protected by a law which imposes a fine on those who wilfully deprive them of life. They generally roost in flocks, on the limbs of large trees; and they may be seen on a summer morning spreading out their wings to the rising sun, and remaining in that posture for a considerable time. Pennant conjectures that this is 'to purify their bodies, which are most offensively fetid.' But is it reasonable to suppose that that effluvia can be offensive to them which arises from food perfectly adapted to their nature, and which is constantly the object of their desires? Many birds, and particularly those of the granivorous kind, have a similar habit, which doubtless is attended with the same exhilarating effects as an exposure to the pure air of the morning has on the frame of one just risen from repose. These birds, unless when rising from the earth, seldom flap their wings, but sweep along in ogees, and dipping and rising lines, and move with great rapidity. They are often seen in companies, soaring at an immense height, particularly previous to a thunder-storm. Their wings are not spread horizontally, but form with the body a slight angle upwards, the tips having an upward curve. Their sense of smelling is astonishingly exquisite, and they never fail to discover carrion, even when at the distance of several miles from it. When once they have found a carcase, if not molested, they will not leave the place until the whole is devoured. At such times they eat so immoderately, that frequently they are incapable of rising, and may be caught without much difficulty; but few that are acquainted with them will have the temerity to undertake the task. A man in the State of Delaware, a few years since, observing some Turkey Buzzards regaling themselves upon the carcase of a horse which was in a highly putrid state, conceived the design of making a captive of one, to take home for the amusement of his children. He cautiously approached, and springing upon the unsuspicious group, grasped a fine plump fellow in his arms, and was bearing off his prize in triumph; when, lo! the indignant Vulture disgorged such a torrent of filth in the face of our hero, that it produced all the effects of the most powerful emetic, and for ever cured him of his inclination for Turkey Buzzards."

On the continent of America, this species inhabits a vast range of territory, being common, it is said, from Nova Scotia to Terra del Fuego. How far to the northward of North California they are found, we are not informed, but it is probable that they extend their migrations to the Columbia, allured thither by the quantity of dead salmon which, at certain seasons, cover the shores of that river.

Mr. Darwin, who observed this bird in New Jersey, states "that the Turkey Buzzard is a solitary bird, or at most goes in pairs. It may at once be recognised from a long distance by its lofty, soaring, and most elegant flight. It is well known to be a true carrion feeder. On the west coast of Patagonia, among the thickly wooded islets and broken land, it lives exclusively on what the sea throws up, and on the carcases of dead seals; and wherever these animals are congregated on the rocks, there the Vultures may be seen."

The Gallinazoes are extremely active; they fly lightly, and can rise with ease to a considerable height in the air; when perched they usually draw their head down between their shoulders, and allow their plumage to hang loosely about their bodies; but when upon the ground they hold themselves erect, and walk with very much the same air as a Turkey-cock. We learn from Audubon, who made a variety of experiments on this subject (see Introductory Chapter), that these Vultures discover their food by sight alone, and are almost or entirely without the sense of smell. Many writers have maintained that they subsist altogether upon garbage and carrion, but both Audubon and Humboldt concur in the statement that they will occasionally kill their own prey. The latter describes the manner in which they seize young crocodiles, about seven or eight inches in length, either upon the land or in shallow water; and tells us that the small reptile endeavours to confront its foe by rising on its fore-feet, stretching up its head, and literally grinning defiance through its long sharp teeth. It not unfrequently happens that, while thus engaged in keeping one of its feathered enemies at bay, the spirited little creature is snapped up by an Urubu, who has come up quietly and unobserved to watch the encounter. Large numbers of eggs are also devoured by the American Vultures, who frequently build their eyries in the immediate vicinity of the nests of Wading or Swimming Birds for the express purpose of thus obtaining a constant supply of food for their young. Most naturalists are now agreed that both the Gallinazo and Urubu lay their eggs in clefts of the rock, holes in the ground, or in hollow trees, as such spots afford the best protection against the inclemency of the weather. In Texas and Mexico they usually select a hillock near marshy ground, and merely scratch a hole beneath a bush wherein to lay the two eggs of which a brood consists. Both parents sit alternately for thirty-two days, and feed each other from the crop during that period. These birds are easily tamed, and when in a state of domesticity exhibit towards their master all the fidelity of a dog.

THE OWLS.

THE OWLS (StriginÆ) constitute the last division of the extensive order RAPTORES to which we have to call the attention of our readers. These remarkable birds possess an apparently heavy, but, in reality, slender and by no means muscular body, and a large, broad, thickly-plumaged head. Their short, very decidedly arched beak terminates in a hook, and is partially covered by a cere, which is so thickly clothed with stiff bristle-like feathers as to be entirely concealed. The large eyes, which look directly forward, are without the bony ridge projecting from the brow, usually so characteristic of the FalconidÆ, and are encompassed by a circle of slender, radiating, hair-like feathers, forming a facial disc. The ear is highly developed, and often furnished with a kind of lid; the wings are long, broad, and wedge-shaped; the tail broad and of various lengths; the short tarsi and toes are covered with feathery plumes or hairs; the outer toe is reversible, as in the Parrot, and the claws are long and sharp. The plumage of the body is composed of long, broad feathers, and is so extremely soft and downy as to render the flight of an Owl almost noiseless; the coloration is in most species sombre, and scarcely distinguishable from the bark of the trees on which they perch; in some few, on the contrary, it is comparatively bright and varied. All the members of this division possess extraordinary power of seeing in the dark, and hear with such acuteness that they can readily detect and obtain their prey in situations where sight seems impossible. As regards intelligence they are certainly behind the rest of the order; and, though generally peaceful in their disposition, will, if excited, fall upon and devour such of their companions as are aged or sick, not sparing even their own offspring. Their flight is usually slow, and their movements upon the ground extremely clumsy, but when in the trees they hop about and spring from branch to branch with great agility, sometimes amusing themselves by ducking their heads and throwing their bodies into a great variety of ludicrous attitudes. Every quarter of the globe is inhabited by these predatory birds, some species being as much at home on the icebergs of the Polar regions as others are beneath a tropical sun; they are sometimes found upon mountains, at an altitude of 15,000 feet above the level of the sea, and, though woodland regions are their favourite resorts, frequent both populous districts and desert plains. Although generally classed collectively as "Night Birds," some few species obtain their food during the day, and confront the sunlight with the utmost ease; still, they are for the most part nocturnal, concealing themselves in holes and cavities until the hour of twilight has arrived, and, if forced into the full glare of day, sit blinking and staring in a state of helpless bewilderment most amusing to behold. All reject carrion, and only devour such food as they have themselves killed, subsisting principally upon small quadrupeds, birds, and insects; a few will even eat fish. Many species are capable of living without water for months at a time, though they drink it readily, and often bathe freely. Most of the members of this sub-order lay from two to seven round white eggs, which are deposited in holes of trees, rocks, or buildings. The young remain for a considerable time under the care of their parents, by whom they are protected with great affection and courage.

The DAY OWLS (SurniÆ) are recognisable by their small head, slender body, long tail and wings, and compact plumage. All their senses are well developed, and in intelligence they far exceed any of their nocturnal relatives.

THE SPARROW-HAWK OWL.

The SPARROW-HAWK OWL (Surnia Ulula, Surnia funerea, or Surnia nisoria), often called the Falcon Owl, on account of some slight resemblance to that family, is one of the best known members of this group, and is distinguished from its congeners by its broad flat head, and small face, which is without the circle of feathers around the region of the eye, possessed by most of the species; its wings are slender and pointed, its tail long and conical. The beak is short, powerful, higher than it is broad, and curves downwards from its base; the hook in which the upper mandible terminates, overlaps the lower one; the margins of both are slightly incised, and the latter has a deep notch at its tip. The tarsi are completely covered with feathers, and the toes armed with short and very sharp claws; the eyes and apertures of the ears are large. The plumage, which is rich, soft, and glossy, is much thicker than that of the majority of Night Owls; the feathers on the sides of the head are held erect, and thus make the face appear fully to equal the body in breadth. The outer web of the anterior quills is denticulated like a saw, while the inner one is of velvety softness. The cry of this species resembles that of the Kestrel; when angry it snaps with the beak, after the manner of other Owls, but, unlike most of the members of the family, its eyes are kept open in the day-time, and it rather seeks than avoids a strong light. The face of the adult male is whitish grey, and marked with two black streaks, one before and one behind the ear, forming a sort of crescent. The top of the head is brownish black, each of the feathers in that region being tipped with a round white spot, which increases in size towards the back of the neck; the nape and a spot behind the ear are pure white; the feathers upon the back are white, edged and striped with brown. The breast, sides, and belly are white, marked with blackish brown; the throat is white, traversed by a dark stripe; the quills and tail-feathers are mouse grey, and for the most part streaked with white. The beak is dingy yellow, tipped with black, and the eyes of a beautiful brimstone yellow. Considerable deviations from this coloration are of frequent occurrence, but the young closely resemble their parents. The length of this species is from fifteen to sixteen, and its breadth from twenty-nine to thirty-one inches; the wing measures nine and the tail seven inches.

The Sparrow-hawk Owls are met with extensively throughout all the countries of the extreme north, and frequently visit the central portions of the American and European continents. Birch, fir, and pine forests afford them the retreats they prefer, and where these are found they will often ascend to a considerable height in mountain ranges. Wallengen tells us that their eyries are built upon fir and pine trees, and are formed of leaves and twigs, intermixed with dry moss; and that the six or seven round white eggs that constitute a brood are laid early in the spring. Some naturalists are of opinion that they lay but two eggs. We learn from Richardson that large numbers of these birds are killed by the fur hunters, and that they subsist principally upon insects and mice; they also devour Ptarmigans, and when in pursuit of the latter are so bold that, at the sound of the sportsman's gun, they congregate around him in the hope of securing his birds as they fall; they catch mice by waiting quietly seated near their holes until they come out, and never seize them whilst on the wing. They appear to have no fear of man, and are constantly seen around the watch-fires made by the hunters in their encampments. Such Sparrow-hawk Owls as visit Central Europe arrive about March, and depart early in the autumn; here as elsewhere they subsist principally upon mice, and frequent forests and woodland districts. The flight of this bird, unlike that of most Owls, is rapid and easy, but upon the ground it hops somewhat clumsily.

THE SNOW OWL.

The SNOW OWL (Nyctea nivea), as the largest of the diurnal species is called, frequents the same countries as the bird above described, and, like it, wanders to Southern Europe; but the Polar regions are its actual home, and there it may be seen living, not only inland, but on the coast, sitting in large numbers upon the icebergs, or scrambling with hasty steps over the surface of the ice-covered sea. The distinguishing features of the Snow Owl are its small head, well-developed ear, and thickly-plumed feet; the wing, in which the third quill is the longest, is of moderate size; the tail long and rounded; the beak powerful, and its hook short; the plumage thick, but not so soft as that of some of its congeners. The length of this species is from twenty-six to twenty-seven, and its breadth from fifty-six to sixty inches; the wing measures twenty-one, and the tail ten inches. The coloration of the plumage varies considerably, according to the age of the birds; such as are very old are either entirely white, or have a few small brown spots upon the forehead and quills; the younger the bird, the more distinct are these brown markings. The eye is a rich yellow, and the beak greyish black.

During the entire summer the Snow Owl remains in its native land, but when heavy snow begins to fall, and renders search for food impossible, it departs to warmer latitudes. According to Radde, the females are the first to leave, but are very shortly followed by their mates. When perched these birds look much like other members of their family, but when in flight exhibit a rapidity of motion and dexterity in steering their course, far exceeding that possessed by any other species of Owl, and so remarkably bold are they that, if wounded by a shot, they at once bear down upon the sportsman who has molested them, for the purpose of revenging the injury, and will also attack dogs, darting upon them, and seizing them after the manner of a Falcon. Whilst tarrying in Central Europe, they subsist principally upon lemmings, and should these prove scarce, attack squirrels, marmots, and other small quadrupeds: they pursue Wild Pigeons, Ducks, and Ptarmigans with great ardour, and are so daring in contesting the latter delicacies with the hunters that, according to Blakeston, they have been known to snatch the coveted prize out of the sportsman's bag, whilst it hung suspended at his back. Audubon had the good fortune to see some of these interesting birds busied in what we should have imagined an uncongenial occupation for an Owl, namely, "angling for fish." He tells us that whilst engaged one morning in shooting Wild Ducks on the banks of the Ohio, he observed a Snow Owl lying upon the rocky bank, apparently asleep, with its head turned towards the water: whilst noticing it, a fish rose to the surface, and, with the rapidity of lightning, was caught in the claws of the wily bird, who at once made off with its prize to a few yards' distance, and having devoured it, immediately returned to play the same clever trick upon other victims. In the winter season this species often seeks its food during the night, and so much vigilance does it display in these nocturnal excursions, that no object seen in the air is allowed to pass without proper investigation as to its edible properties. Holboell mentions having amused himself one moonlight night by constantly throwing up his hat to attract the attention of a Snow Owl, and was rewarded by inducing it to follow the unfamiliar object for nearly a quarter of a mile. The cry of this bird is harsh, and much resembles that of the Crow. The breeding season commences in June; the eggs, from seven to ten in number, are of a dirty white, and are deposited in a hole in the ground lined with a little dry grass. The young are fledged by the month of August, and are tended till this period with great affection by both parents. The female, who is also carefully fed by her mate during the period of her seclusion, exhibits great affection for her little family, and should a man approach so near the nest as to excite her suspicion, will fall to the earth, and lie as though dead or lamed, in the hope of diverting the stranger's attention from the brood to herself. Attempts to rear this remarkable Owl have hitherto usually proved unsuccessful.

The STONE OWLS (Athene) are small birds, with moderate sized heads, short round wings, which do not extend beyond two-thirds of the long straight tail, long legs, powerfully armed toes, and short beaks; the latter are compressed, and the upper mandible terminates in a hook. The aperture of the ear is smaller, and the feathers which surround it longer than in other diurnal species; the plumage is compact, and only partially covers the legs, the toes being overspread with a hair-like growth.

THE STONE OWL PROPER.

The STONE OWL PROPER (Athene noctua) is about eight inches long, and twenty broad; its wing measures five inches and a half, and the tail three and three-quarters. The female is slightly larger than her mate. In the adult of both sexes the upper part of the body is dark mouse grey, irregularly spotted with white; the face is greyish white, the belly whitish, spotted with brown, except at the vent; the wing and tail-feathers are reddish yellow, spotted with white; the beak is greyish yellow, the foot yellowish grey, and the eye of a brimstone yellow. The plumage of the young is darker than that of their parents.

THE SNOW OWL (Nyctea nivea).

This bird inhabits the central parts of Europe as far as the south of Sweden, and is found throughout almost the whole of Asia. In some of the southern countries of Europe, it is replaced by the celebrated bird known to the Greeks as "Minerva's Owl" (Athene indigena). Two other varieties are also commonly met with, the one in Spain, the other in Northern Africa. Mountainous districts are avoided by the Stone Owls, who prefer living in the immediate vicinity of man, and often build their nests upon the roofs and steeples of the villages they frequent. The day is usually passed in some quiet nook, such as a tomb, old wall, or similar situation, and at night they sally forth in search of food, striking terror into the heart of many an ignorant peasant, as their harsh, unearthly cry resounds through the silence of the night. To such an extent do some of the peasants in Germany carry their absurd superstition respecting this Owl, as actually to imagine that its notes distinctly express the words, "Komm mit, komm mit auf den Kirchhof, hof, hof," or, in plain English, that the sepulchral voice is forewarning either themselves or some members of their family of impending death, and speedy consignment to the tomb. In the southern parts of Europe, where Stone Owls are met with much more frequently than in Germany, familiarity has bred contempt, and these old wives' tales are entirely unknown. The flight of this bird is very peculiar, owing to the shortness of its wings, and much resembles that of a Woodpecker. Whilst perched it usually draws its head down upon its shoulders; but if attracted by some object, for it sees excellently well in the daylight, it sits erect and peers at it with so keen and intelligent an eye as fully to explain the reason that to this species was assigned the honour of attending on the Goddess of Wisdom.

THE STONE OWL (Athene noctua).

The Stone Owls are extremely social, and live on very peaceable terms with their companions, dwelling in the same hole, and going together in search of prey. Twilight has scarcely set in before their voices are heard as they sweep about in pursuit of the small quadrupeds, birds, and insects upon which they subsist; the whole night is passed in pursuit of food, very much to the annoyance of many a weary sleeper, who is roused from pleasant dreams by the sudden dash of their bodies against the window as they vainly endeavour to get to the fire or taper burning within. During the breeding season they become extremely restless and noisy, and utter their strange cry throughout the whole day. The eggs, four to seven in number, are deposited about May in a hole in some old tree or building; the nestlings are hatched in a fortnight after the eggs are laid, and are reared upon mice, young birds, and insects. These Owls are frequently captured in Italy for the purpose of domestication, as they are easily tamed, and render themselves eminently useful in houses and gardens, by keeping the premises clear of mice and a variety of noxious insects. It is no uncommon thing to see three or four of them fastened to a perch in the stall of an Italian cobbler or tailor, who amuses himself by observing them as he plies his trade. These prisoners usually display great affection for their master, who rears them upon polenta when meat is beyond his means.

The BURROWING OWLS (Pholeoptynx) are a family of very remarkable birds, about the same size as and closely allied to the Stone Owls, but differing from these latter in their superior length of leg, and in some other trifling respects. The members of this group are recognisable by their moderate size, round head, large eyes, and elongated beak, rather arched at its roof, and terminating in a hook; the lower mandible is blunt at its tip, and slightly incised upon the margins. The wings, in which the fourth quill is longer than the rest, are long, powerful, and rounded at the extremity; the tail is short and straight, the tarsi high, slender, and only sparsely feathered in front, the sides and sole being covered with smooth skin; the toes are defended by rough horny plates interspersed with bristles; the talons are very slightly curved. The plumage, which is composed of small, soft, silky feathers, lies very compact; the feathers on the cheek-stripes are stiff and bristle-like, and the rest of those upon the face small and delicate.

THE BRAZILIAN OR RABBIT OWL.

The BRAZILIAN or RABBIT OWL (Pholeoptynx cunicularia)—called by the natives the Caruje—is about eight inches long, and twenty-two broad; the wing measures six and the tail three inches. The upper part of the body is reddish brown, marked with oval and round white spots; the chin and eyebrows are white, the lower part of the neck reddish yellow, spotted with greyish brown, the breast greyish brown marked with yellow; the lower part of the belly is yellowish white; the eye is yellow, the beak pale greenish grey, as are the legs. This bird inhabits the Brazils, and is replaced in North America by

THE PRAIRIE OWL.

The PRAIRIE OWL (Pholeoptynx hypogÆa), a species so closely resembling it both in appearance and habits, that one description will suffice for them both. The Burrowing Owls are found in great numbers throughout the extensive plains of the American continent, perching upon hillocks, or scrambling in and out of the holes in which they live; they constantly frequent such excavations as have been made by anteaters, armadilloes, or prairie dogs, and instances have occurred in which they have been seen quietly creeping in and out of a hole tenanted, not only by the last-mentioned quadruped, but by a rattlesnake. Like the Stone Owl, they are capable of enduring the full light of the sun, and display considerable agility in evading pursuit; the colour of their plumage aids them considerably, as it closely resembles that of the ground on which they sit. They walk with ease and rapidity, and fly in an undulating course, but only remain for a short time upon the wing; they never frequent trees, but pass their lives almost entirely upon the earth. Whilst seated they indulge in all the strange attitudes, bowings, and tossings of the head with which their congeners amuse themselves, and greet the approach of a stranger with a fixed stare, their eyes shining like stars. Whoever attempts to capture one of them generally finds that his labour has been spent in vain, as they easily elude pursuit, and if hard pressed take refuge in one of the many holes that abound in their favourite haunts. They are remarkably social, even during the breeding season, and several pairs frequently lay their eggs in such burrows as are near together. The Brazilian species deposits its three white eggs upon the bare ground of the cavity selected, whilst the North American Prairie Owl on the contrary, according to Townshend, lays four whitish eggs, and lines its hole with fine grass; both subsist principally upon mice, snakes, lizards, and grasshoppers, and will occasionally eat crabs or such other inhabitants of the water as find their way to dry land. The North American Indians declare that these Owls retire into their holes about the end of August, in company with the prairie dogs, and there sleep away the winter months, but we should be inclined to imagine that their undeniable disappearance during the cold season is occasioned by their having gone for a time further south.

Plate 12. Cassell's Book of Birds

THE JAVA OWL ____ Strix Javanica

(two-thirds Nat. size)

[See larger version]

The SPARROW OWLS (Microptynx), so called from their diminutive size, are by far the most pleasing and elegant group of their family, and are found throughout all parts of the globe, with the exception of Australia; in the southern portions of Asia, America, and Africa, they are particularly numerous. Extensive forests are their favourite resorts, and there they may be seen flying about during the entire day in search of food.

THE EUROPEAN SPARROW OWL.

The EUROPEAN SPARROW OWL (Microptynx passerina) is the species we have selected as a type of the above group. Its length does not exceed six inches and a half, and its breadth fifteen and a half; the female is about an inch longer and one inch and a half broader than her mate. The body of this bird is slender, its head small, the beak powerful, and much curved and incised upon the margin of the upper mandible. The wing, in which the third and fourth quills are the longest, is short, the tail of moderate size, the foot short and thickly feathered, the facial disc is but slightly developed. The upper part of the body is mouse grey, spotted with white, the belly white, marked longitudinally with brown, the face of a mottled greyish white, the beak greyish, and the eye bright yellow; the tail is adorned with four, and the wing with several white lines. The female is of a darker hue than her mate, and has two dark lines under the eyes; brown predominates in the coloration of the young.

Although very numerous in the northern parts of Europe, and by no means rare in the central portion, this species is constantly overlooked, by reason of the smallness of its size, and because as it flies by day, and has a cry unlike that of most of its family, ordinary observers do not recognise it to be what it is—a Dwarf Owl; its habits, therefore, have been but little remarked, and it is seldom met with either in ornithological collections or in aviaries. Those few writers who have been at the trouble of making themselves acquainted with this most interesting bird, describe it as being agile, cunning, and active as a Parrot, as it hops about among the branches of trees in pursuit of the insects upon which it mainly subsists; it also consumes mice and small birds, plucking the latter carefully before devouring them. It is not uncommon to see this lively little Owl hopping about the Scandinavian villages when the snow lies heavy upon its haunts in the forest. It is easily summoned from the trees by those who can imitate its simple call-note, and may often by this means be led to a considerable distance. When perched its body appears to be far more slender in proportion to its size than that of other species, and Naumann describes its small broad face as looking more like that of an ape, than presenting the cat-like appearance with which we are all familiar in the generality of Owls. Its flight is rapid and undulating. The eggs are deposited in holes of trees, from the inmost recesses of which the voices of the parents may sometimes be heard as they summon each other. The hole is usually lined with a bed of moss and dry leaves, and upon this the eggs are deposited; these have a thick, smooth, white shell, are oval in shape, and about an inch long.

THE UHU AT BAY.

The EARED OWLS or UHUS (Bubones) constitute a group distinguished by a tuft of feathers growing behind each ear, and presenting the appearance of a pair of horns. The size of these birds varies considerably, some being very large while others are comparatively diminutive. In all the head is bulky, the wings blunt, the tail short and nearly straight at its extremity, the feet of moderate size and covered with feathers. The plumage, which is thick and lax, is composed of broad feathers. The beak is thick and slightly curved, the claws very long and much hooked; the eye is large, flat, and of a bright yellow; the tufts behind the ears of no great size, and the feathers upon the face only slightly developed. Several species of Uhu are found in Southern Africa, but the northern portions of our globe must be regarded as their actual home, from whence they wander forth occasionally to other regions, but live and breed for the most part in their native lands. All are nocturnal Birds of Prey, and pass the entire day in such localities as afford them shelter from the sun, whose rays they studiously avoid, though they see with ease in the daylight. The larger species of Uhus live alone or in pairs, but the smaller are constantly met with in considerable flocks, except during the breeding season. These birds exhibit an extraordinary degree of good fellowship towards their congeners, and many touching stories have been told of their kindly behaviour towards each other; they are, however, inferior to the Diurnal Owls as regards their activity and intelligence.

THE UHU.

THE UHU (Bubo maximus).

The UHU (Bubo maximus), King of the Night, as it has been aptly called, is the largest species of Owl with which we are acquainted; its length often exceeding two feet, and its breadth five feet; its wing measures sixteen, and its tail ten inches. The rich soft plumage of this bird is of a dark rust red, streaked with black upon the upper parts of the body, and on the under side reddish yellow, longitudinally striped with black; the tufts behind the ears are black marked with yellow, the throat is nearly white, and the wing and tail feathers streaked alternately with brown and yellow; the beak is deep blueish grey, and the scales upon the feet of a lighter shade of the same hue; the iris is rich golden yellow, encircled by a red line. The male and female are alike in colour, but the young are yellower than the adults. Many slight variations are observable in the plumage of such as inhabit different countries. This Uhu is found occasionally throughout the whole of Europe and the northern parts of Asia, and is replaced in Africa by two other species, viz.:—The SHORT-EARED UHU (Bubo ascalaphus) which inhabits the north-eastern provinces, and the MILK-WHITE UHU (Bubo NyctaËtos-lacteus), found in the central portions of that continent; there is also a North American species, known as the VIRGINIAN UHU (Bubo Virginianus). So closely do these birds resemble each other that one description will suffice for them all. Their favourite haunts are mountainous districts and extensive forests, as in such situations they can lead a quiet and retired life. It is not uncommon for a pair to remain for years upon the same spot, if they are fortunate enough to escape the observation of man; still they are occasionally met with, not only living, but breeding in the vicinity of human habitations; we ourselves found a couple that had taken up their quarters and made their nest upon some fortifications near a large town. During the day they remain quietly concealed in their holes, where they are scarcely distinguishable on account of the sombre colour of their plumage, but though neither timid nor helpless in the daylight, instinct has taught them to avoid encountering the sunshine, and it is only when evening has fully set in that they sally forth to reconnoitre and seek their prey. So well do the feebler denizens of the forest know what they have to expect from this dreaded enemy, that should one of them chance to espy the Uhu as it crouches within its hole, a loud note of terror immediately conveys the appalling intelligence to its companions, whose voices at once unite in giving the huge and murderous foe a serenade that is neither harmonious nor complimentary. During the breeding season, combats between the males are of frequent occurrence, and then it is that the cry of the Uhu is heard in all the unearthly tones that have been so often supposed to proceed from demons, or some of the fanciful crowd of beings with which popular superstition has peopled the forests. Indeed, this species may be truly accused of "making night hideous," as it flies in search of the rats and mice upon which it principally subsists. "The favourite residence of the Virginian Horned Owl," says Wilson, "is in the dark solitudes of deep swamps, covered with a growth of gigantic timber, and here, as soon as evening draws on and mankind retire to rest, he sends forth such sounds as scarcely seem to belong to this world. Along the mountainous shores of the Ohio, and amidst the deep forests of Indiana, alone, and reposing in the woods, this ghostly watchman has frequently warned me of the approach of danger, and amused me with his singular exclamations. Sometimes sweeping down and around my fire, uttering a loud and sudden 'Waugh, O! Waugh, O!' sufficient to have alarmed a whole garrison. He has also other nocturnal solos, one of which very strikingly resembles the half-suppressed screams of a person suffocating or throttled."

Richardson gives the following instance of the terror this Uhu so frequently excites:—"A party of Scotch Highlanders, in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, happened in a winter journey to encamp after nightfall in a dense clump of trees, whose dark and lofty stems, the growth of centuries, gave a solemnity to the scene that strongly tended to excite the superstitious feelings of the Highlanders. The effect was heightened by the discovery of a tomb which, with the natural taste often exhibited by Indians, had been placed in this secluded spot. Our travellers, having finished their supper, were trimming their fire preparatory to rest, when the slow and dismal notes of the Horned Owl fell on the ear with a startling nearness. None of them being acquainted with the sound, all thought that so unearthly a voice must be the moaning of the spirit of the departed, whose repose they imagined they had disturbed by inadvertently making a fire of the wood of which his tomb had been constructed. They passed a tedious night of fear, and with the first dawn of day hastily left the ill-omened spot."

The Uhu devours Geese, Partridges, Buzzards, and many other birds and quadrupeds in large numbers; some writers have gone so far as to accuse it of seizing upon young stags, calves, and even Eagles, but such assertions are very improbable, though the statement that it will attack hedgehogs has been fully substantiated; the prickly ball being forced to unroll by means of powerful strokes with the beak, which completes its destruction before the victim has time to coil itself up again. The period of incubation usually commences about March, and, strange to say, no sooner are the quarrels about the possession of a mate over than the cruel, violent male is suddenly transformed into the most faithful and tender of spouses, and exhibits such affection and devotion to his family as is seldom met with. Building, however, is not an art in which the Uhu excels; the eggs are therefore, if possible, deposited in the deserted nest of a Buzzard, Raven, or Black Stork, and should one of these not be found, the parent is content to drag together a few twigs and branches, and make therewith a bed in the cavity it has selected for a breeding-place. Occasionally, the comfort of this slight arrangement is dispensed with, and the two or three eggs are deposited upon the bare ground at the bottom of the hole. The female alone broods, but is meanwhile most carefully tended by her mate; and both parents assist in defending their domicile from intrusion, attacking with fierce courage not only beasts of prey, but men. Should the nest appear to have been disturbed, the mother has been known to carry off her charge to a safer retreat. Count Wodzicki mentions an instance that came under his own notice in which a young Uhu was fed at first by its parents, and afterwards, as soon as they were fledged, by its brother nestlings, for the space of two months after it had been made prisoner and fastened to a perch outside the forester's lodge. This Uhu will live for many years in confinement, but seldom become, really tame; the African species is perhaps an exception to this rule, for we saw one of these birds in Stockholm that not only allowed itself to be stroked or playfully seized by the beak, but would come to its master when called by name. "When wounded," Audubon informs us, "the Uhu exhibits a revengeful tenacity of spirit, scarcely surpassed by the boldest of the Eagle tribe; disdaining to scramble away, it faces its enemy with undaunted courage; protruding its powerful talons, and snapping its beak, it will defend itself to the uttermost against both man and dog."

The Malay peninsula and India proper are inhabited by a group of Owls, in many respects resembling the species above described, but with this difference, that they subsist principally upon fish, crabs, and other inhabitants of the water. All these birds are large, and have well-developed tufts around the ears; the beak is powerful and of moderate size, while the upper mandible is compressed, and terminates in a hook; the feet are long, and the toes bare. The plumage is not thick, the ears are small, and the wings, in which the fourth quill is longer than the rest, do not extend as far as the tip of the tail.

THE BROWN FISH OWL.

The BROWN FISH OWL (Ketupa Ceylonensis), called by the Cingalese "Utum," is from twenty-one to twenty-three inches in breadth, the tail measures eight, and the wing sixteen inches. The upper part of the body is of a deep reddish tinge, the feathers upon the head and nape being streaked with dark brown, while those upon the back and upper wing-covers are marked with brown and reddish yellow. The quills are reddish or yellowish brown, spotted with white upon the inner web; the tail is brown, tipped and streaked with a paler shade; the face is brown, and its bristle-like feathers ornamented with white and black; the chin and breast are white, partially striped with brown. The rest of the plumage is reddish brown, streaked with numerous dark lines. The eye is bright yellow, the eyelids purplish brown, the foot and beak pale greyish yellow.

THE VIRGINIAN UHU (Bubo Virginianus).

The Fish Owl is found extensively throughout the whole of India and Ceylon, and is also met with in Burmah and China. In the Malay peninsula it is replaced by a very similar species. Bernstein tells us that the Fish Owl frequents woodland districts, and that, though it often lives in the immediate neighbourhood of villages, never actually takes shelter about the houses. Jerdon informs us that he usually saw it perching close to lakes, ponds, or rivers, watching for the fish upon which it mainly subsists. It also devours lizards and snakes, as well as rats and mice. Like most of its family this bird remains concealed during the day, and only issues forth at night to obtain its prey: this diurnal seclusion does not, however, arise from the fact that it cannot bear the light, for experiments have proved that it sees any object readily, even when exposed to the full glare of the sun. The voice of the Fish Owl is constantly heard throughout moonlight nights, and may be represented by the syllables "Hu, hu, hu, hi." A nest found by Bernstein was nothing more than a depression in some moss and lichens that had overgrown the trunk of an old tree; it contained but one round, smooth-shelled, white egg.

THE WOODLAND OWL.

The WOODLAND OWL (Otus sylvestris) in many respects resembles the Uhu, from which it is distinguished by the slenderness of its shape, its long wings, in which the second quill exceeds the rest in length, its short feet, and a large tuft behind each very highly developed ear. The whole body is of a dull reddish yellow, spotted and marked with greyish brown above, and with dark brown beneath. The ear is whitish within, and black on its exterior; the face is greyish yellow. The length of this bird is from thirteen to fourteen inches, its breadth from thirty-five to thirty-eight inches.

THE MARSH OWL (Otus brachyotus).

The Woodland Owl abounds throughout Europe and Asia, and is particularly numerous in the central portions of both continents. In North America it is replaced by a very similar species, which, until recently, was supposed to be identical with that inhabiting the Eastern hemisphere. These birds, as their name indicates, dwell in and around woods and forests, in the recesses of which they remain during the day, only flying by night in quest of food. In their habits they resemble the Uhu, but are less cruel and violent in their disposition. During the breeding season they live in pairs, after that period they assemble in flocks, and sweep together over the face of the country, but never actually migrate. So fearless is this bird, that should a man approach, it not only remains quietly upon its perch, but in some instances will not stir until shaken from the branches. Shrew mice, field mice, and small birds constitute its principal food, and we must therefore pronounce it to be a benefactor both to the gardener and the farmer. The Woodland Owl rarely constructs its own nest, but takes possession of one that has been deserted by some Crow or squirrel. The four white eggs that constitute its brood are laid about March. The female continues sitting for three weeks, and is, meanwhile, fed and carefully tended by her mate, who remains almost constantly by her side, and expresses his affection by frequently uttering loud cries, and occasionally beating the air violently with his wings. The nestlings require an unusual amount of food, for which they clamour incessantly; if taken before they are fledged they may be readily tamed.

THE MARSH OWL.

The MARSH OWL (Otus brachyotus) is closely allied to the bird above described, and is found in all parts of the globe, with the exception of New Holland. The head of this species is smaller than that of the Woodland Owl, and its long wings reach far beyond the tail. The tufts above the ears are composed of from two to four feathers, and the plumage is principally of a bright but pale yellow; the feathers upon the head and lower parts of the body have black shafts, whilst those of the wing-covers are yellow upon the outer and black upon the inner web; they are likewise tipped with black. The quills of the tail are striped with greyish brown. The radiating feathers upon the face are whitish grey, and the eyes light yellow. The young are somewhat darker than their parents. The length of this bird is from fourteen to sixteen inches, and its breadth from forty to forty-two inches.

The peculiar characteristics of the Marsh Owls are their preference for fens and bogs, and their practice of wandering from one place to another; they frequent all the northern parts of the globe, and are by no means rare in any of the countries in which they are seen; in the more southern latitudes they appear about October, and leave again in the month of March. At night they fly softly and slowly in search of mice, lemmings, and insects, upon which they chiefly subsist; and usually pass the day amidst the grass and reeds that overspread their favourite haunts; if disturbed they crouch to the ground, and allow the enemy to approach quite close, then, rising suddenly, they hover in the air, or soar to a very considerable height. Their voice is gentle, and their anger expressed by snapping violently with the beak. The nest is extremely simple in its construction, and invariably placed upon the ground. The female lays three or four white eggs about May.

The DWARF EARED OWLS (Scops) are recognisable by their large heads, long wings, in which the second quill exceeds the rest in length, short slightly-rounded tail, high sparsely-feathered tarsi, and bare toes. The beak is powerful and much curved, the plumage smooth and variegated, the ear-tufts short, and the feathers that surround the aperture of the ear but slightly developed. The members of this group inhabit Southern Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. From these we shall select the European species as a type of the rest.

THE DWARF EARED OWL.

The DWARF EARED OWL (Ephialtes Scops) is from six to seven inches long, and from eighteen to nineteen broad; the wing measures five inches and two-thirds, and the tail about two and a half. The plumage is very striking; the upper part of the body is reddish brown, shaded with grey, and streaked and spotted with black; upon the wings the spots are white, the region of the shoulder is dashed with red; the under side is a mixture of brownish red and greyish white. The beak and feet are blueish grey, and the eyes light brimstone yellow. The sexes closely resemble each other in plumage, but that of the young is more sombre and less variegated.

The Dwarf Eared Owls are numerous in Southern Europe, and at certain seasons are met with in its more central portions, where they arrive early in the year, and leave again for warmer latitudes about September. Their migrations are performed in large flocks, and often extend as far as the interior of Africa. They generally resort to fields, vineyards, and gardens, exhibit no fear of man, and may frequently be seen perching upon the trees that grow near crowded thoroughfares. During the day they conceal themselves under the vines, or amongst the branches of trees, the stems of which they so much resemble in colour as to be in but little danger of detection so long as they remain quiet. It is not until evening has fully set in that they sally out in quest of food, and hover, with something of the movement of a Falcon, close to the surface of the ground, in quest of mice and similar fare. The nest is built in a hollow tree, and the eggs, three or four in number, are laid in the autumn.

The NOCTURNAL OWLS are distinguished from those above described, by their large round heads, broad discs of feathers upon the face, and wide apertures to the ears, which are unprovided with tufts. The wing is usually rounded, and the tail and foot vary considerably both as to size and form. The plumage is either very thick, or lies close and compact. All the members of this group sleep or doze away the whole day, and only sally forth when the sun's last rays have disappeared, for in its light they are perfectly helpless and almost blind.

THE TREE OWL.

The TREE OWL (Syrnium aluco) is recognisable by its large head and comparatively small ear-apertures, as well as by its thick neck, slender body, short tail, thickly-feathered feet, and short toes. Deep grey or reddish brown predominates in the coloration of the plumage; the back being, as is usually the case, darker than the under parts of the body; the wings are regularly marked with light spots; the nape, region of the ear, face, beak, and tips of the toes are grey; the eye dark brown, and the skin that surrounds it of a flesh-colour.

This species is frequently met with throughout the whole of Europe, if we except its extreme north and south—it is but rarely seen in Spain, and never, we believe, in some parts of Russia. Woodland districts are its usual haunts, but it also occasionally seeks shelter among ruins, or even in nooks of houses. During the summer it passes the day perched close to the trunk of some old hollow tree, in the interior of which it hides itself during the winter.

The movements of this species are extremely slow and heavy, and it rarely rises above a few feet from the ground whilst seeking for the mice upon which it subsists. It also devours noxious insects of various kinds in considerable quantities, and thus renders important service both to the gardener and farmer. Martin mentions his having found no fewer than seventy-five large caterpillars in the stomach of a Tree Owl that he had killed immediately after it had finished this very substantial repast. In disposition it is dull, and more uninteresting than almost any other bird with which we are acquainted. Its cry is a loud, resonant "Hu, hu, hu," and often rings through the darkness like a burst of demoniacal laughter. The breeding season commences about April or May, and during that period these, at other times apathetic sluggards, seem roused to something like animation, and make the woods re-echo with their discordant note. The eggs, two or three in number, are laid in cavities of trees, or sometimes in roofs or chimneys, upon a slight bed of hair, wool, or moss; the deserted nest of some other bird is also frequently employed for the reception of the young family. The eggs are oval, rough-shelled, and white. The female alone broods, and is meanwhile fed with great tenderness by her mate. Both parents are much attached to their offspring. These birds may be readily tamed, and soon become accustomed to those that feed them. Gadamer tells us that a Tree Owl in his possession used to come out every evening and stand before the open stove, stretching out its neck with every demonstration of keen enjoyment.

THE HAIRY-FOOTED OWL.

The HAIRY-FOOTED OWL (Nyctale dasypus) is distinguished by its unusually broad head, large ear-apertures, and well-developed facial discs; the wings are rounded, the tail of moderate size, and the short and rounded tarsi, covered with long, thickly-set feathers; the plumage is soft and silky. The upper parts of the body are mouse grey, with large white spots; and the under side white, distinctly streaked with greyish brown. The wings and tail-feathers are mouse grey, with irregular white stripes; the long feathers about the face whitish grey, mottled with black; the beak is greyish yellow, and the eye bright gold colour. The young are of an uniform reddish brown, with white spots upon the wings and tail. The length of this species is from nine to ten, its breadth from twenty-one to twenty-three inches, and the tail about six or seven inches.

THE TREE OWL (Syrnium aluco).

These birds inhabit Central Europe, and are likewise found in the northern parts of Asia and America; they are never seen in any large numbers, and are reckoned among the greatest rarities in our aviaries, owing to the difficulties attendant on their capture, for their retreats are usually in the deepest recesses of woods and forests, which they seldom quit. A hollow tree is the favourite resort of a pair of Hairy-footed Owls, and there they remain during the whole day, but at night fly away together in search of food. They appear carefully to avoid the light of the sun, and are extremely timorous. Should they be molested by the sportsman, they at once lie down close behind the branch in which they are perched, and thus effectually put themselves out of both sight and gunshot. Their voice somewhat resembles the syllables "Wi, wi, wi," and is not unlike the whimper of a child; this cry is heard principally in the evening and at early morning. The eggs, three or four in number, are deposited about April or May in a hollow tree, and are similar to those of the Stone Owl. Mice, insects, small birds, and bats constitute their principal food; the latter, according to our own observations, are caught on the wing. As in the case of the Uhu, all the small birds seem to delight in mobbing and harrying this dreaded foe, whenever they discover it sitting in the day-time perched and perfectly helpless. The young are destroyed in great numbers by the larger species of Owls and other enemies. A Hairy-footed Owl kept in Dr. Brehm's house soon became extremely tame, and though at first it invariably took refuge in the darkest corner of its dark cage, it soon lost this habit, and hopped about even during the day; it took its food from the hand of its master, and carried it to a quiet nook to be devoured, concealing the prize with its feathers whilst it ate. It seldom drank, but bathed almost daily when the weather was warm; if cold, it crouched upon the ground, drawing up its feet under its body. Its voice sounded occasionally somewhat like the low bark of a dog.

THE BARN OWL (Strix flammea).

The VEILED OWLS (Strix) constitute one of the most remarkable groups of this very important family. Their body is slender, the neck long, the head large and broad, the wings of great size, and the tail of medium length, the legs are high, the plumage silky and very varied in its coloration. The beak is elongate, straight at the base, hooked at its tip, and the under mandible slightly indented. The eye is small and more arched than that of other species; the ear appears unusually large, owing to the long feathers by which it is encircled, and which form a heart-shaped frill around the face, the tarsi are but slightly plumed, and are covered upon the lower portion with fine bristles; the toes are almost bare, the claws long, thin, and pointed.

The Veiled Owls are found in all parts of the world, dwelling in populous districts, in and around villages, and when these are not to be found, seeking shelter in hollow trees; they especially delight in old ruins, and are constantly met with in church steeples, ancient castles, and dismantled towers, as such buildings afford them safe hiding-places until the evening closes in. All the members of this group so closely resemble each other that they might readily be mistaken for one and the same species, and all are equally remarkable for the beauty of their plumage.

KIRCHHOFF'S VEILED OWL.

KIRCHHOFF'S VEILED OWL (Strix Kirchhoffii), discovered by Dr. Brehm whilst in Spain, and called after one of his friends, is so extremely beautiful as to render an adequate description almost impossible. The upper portion of its plumage is of a pretty reddish yellow, mottled with grey upon the shoulders and middle of the back, and delicately spotted with black and white; the under parts are of dazzling whiteness, and as glossy as the softest satin. The discs of feathers upon the face are spotted and edged with reddish brown.

THE BARN OWL.

The FLAME OWL, or BARN OWL (Strix flammea), is from twelve to fourteen inches long, and from thirty-six to thirty-nine inches broad; the wing measures about eleven, and the tail from four and a half to five inches. The upper part of the plumage is dark grey; the nape and back of the head reddish yellow, delicately marked with tiny black and white streaks; the under side deep reddish yellow, spotted with brown and white; the long feathers upon the face are either entirely of uniform reddish white, or become gradually lighter towards the tip; the quills are rust red upon the inner and whitish upon the outer web, spotted and striped three or four times with dark brown; the reddish yellow tail-feathers are striped with black, and have a broad dark grey patch, mottled with white at the extremity; the beak and cere are reddish white; the bare portions of the foot blueish grey, and the eye dark brown. The female is of a somewhat duskier hue than her mate.

Old ruins of every description are constantly frequented by these birds, such lofty mountain ranges as are barren of trees they carefully avoid, but in every other situation are more or less frequently met with. The Barn Owls are stationary in their habits, and often remain for years in the same locality, spending the day in some retired nook, and sallying forth at night in quest of prey. Their sleep is extremely light, and, if disturbed, their contortions are amusing to behold, as they rock themselves from side to side upon their legs, and peer blindly at the intruder, expressing their uneasiness by a variety of the most extraordinary grimaces which we can conceive even an Owl's face to be capable of. If very hard pressed they seek safety in flight, and thus prove that they are not so completely blinded by the light as is popularly supposed. When evening sets in their active life commences, and they may then be constantly seen and heard, sweeping slowly about, and uttering their dismal cry at short intervals, as they flit over the ground, or settle for a short time upon the house-tops. Rats, mice, moles, and small birds, as well as the larger kinds of insects, constitute their principal food. They have frequently been accused of attacking Pigeons, but this we believe is not the case.

So adroit and rapid are the manoeuvres of these Owls when hungry, that their victims have but small chance of escape, and we would therefore warn such of our readers as are tempted to try the effect of domestication upon them to keep a very sharp watch indeed upon any other feathered pets that may be in the same house. A friend of Dr. Brehm's, after endeavouring to tame one of these birds for about a week, ventured on the strength of its good training to leave it for one single minute in his dark room, while he hurried away to obtain a light; when, lo, upon his return he beheld the Owl behind a stove, quietly finishing the remains of his pet Linnet, which it had seized, killed, and more than half devoured in that short space of time! This same Owl would often eat as many as fifteen mice during the day. In Spain a strange idea is very prevalent respecting this species, it being supposed to enter the churches and consume the olive oil employed in the lamps by which those buildings are lighted. For our own part we believe that such a charge is quite unfounded, and that the Owl in this case is no more guilty of the offence, than the terrible cat facetiously described as working so much havoc in English kitchens. The Spaniards make use of the body of this bird extensively in medicine, after it has been soaked in oil. According to Pennant "the Monguls of Tartary pay the Barn Owls almost divine honours, because they attribute to one of them the preservation of Ghenghis Khan, the founder of their empire. That prince, with his small army, happened to be surprised and put to flight by his enemies; when forced to conceal himself in a little coppice, an Owl settled on the bush under which he was hid, and induced his pursuers not to search there, as they thought it impossible that any man could be concealed in a place where that bird would perch."

It was formerly supposed that the Barn Owls laid their eggs about April, but recent observations have proved this statement to be incorrect. The breeding season really commences in the autumn, and during this period the happy pair testify their love and devotion to each other by loud and constant cries, as they fly sportively together around and over the towers and turrets near which they have taken up their abode—nest there is none, the young family being reared at the bottom of a hole, or in some retired corner. The nestlings are reared upon mice, and are most carefully tended by their parents, who nurse their progeny so devotedly that they have frequently been known to carry food to them for weeks or even months, after they have been captured and shut up in a cage.

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