26 Our Bird Friends. 



wood with his bill and broke his unlucky neck in 

 the process. 



Terns always face the wind if there is any blowing 

 when they make a plunge into the sea after surface- 

 swimming fry, and it is a very pretty sight to see 

 the males feeding the females whilst brooding with 

 the glittering little fishes they have caught. 



It is really astonishing to what an extent birds 

 prey upon each other. Even the mild and simple- 

 minded domestic Duck has recently been proved 

 guilty of seizing and swallowing young Moorhens 

 after drowning the dusky little wretches. 



Peregrine Falcons, ^[erlins, and Sparrowhawks are 

 all fierce, relentless marauders, that live almost 

 entirely by devouring their defenceless feathered 

 neighbours. Some idea may be gathered of their 

 prowess when it is mentioned that they can fly oft' 

 Avith victims twice their own Aveight. 



The Golden P]agle slays lambs, hares, rabbits, 

 Grouse, and Ptarmiq-an, and durino- the breeding 

 season provides a liberal table. A poor man in 

 Ireland once tided over a famine with the aid of a 

 pair of Golden Eagles. He gained access to their 

 eyrie, and, clipping the wings of their young ones, 

 forced the parent birds to keep on bringing food, of 

 which he took a share for himself and family. 



Many people think that all wild birds of the same 

 species are exactly alike in disposition. Nothing could 

 be further from the fact. Two members of almost any 

 species will differ as much in character as any two 



