BIRDS OF PREY. 



Rapacious birds seem to occupy among the feathered 

 race, the same situation as the carnivorous order amonsf 

 the quadrupeds. All obtain their subsistence from the 

 animal kingdom, and most of them live essentially on 

 flesh. Some, dastardly and indolent by nature, as well 

 as unprovided with the means of seizing prey, live on 

 carrion and garbage, and act the useful part of scaven- 

 gers in ridding the earth of such offensive matters. Oth- 

 ers boldly or insidiously attack living animals, quadru- 

 peds or birds. Some again there are, that subsist almost 

 wholly on fish and reptiles ; and a few of small size are 

 contented with crustaceous-winged insects. Less attach- 

 ed to the earth than other birds, they traverse the aerial 

 regions with a rapid flight, and often disappear from 

 view in the ambient space, from whence, ever watchful 

 and keen of sight, they survey the wide landscape and 

 mark out their distant quarry. Some peculiarities of their 

 skeleton are in accordance with the power of their 

 wings ; thus the sternum is broad and completely ossified 

 in order to give more extensive insertion to the muscles. 

 The fourchette also, semicircular and widely separated, 

 serves effectually to resist the violent motions of the hu- 

 merus in the act of rapid flying. Endowed with such 

 powerful means of flight, and natural weapons of destruc- 

 tion, they are justly the terror of all other birds. Wan- 



