The Audubon Societies 



105 



rounded wings, fanlike tails, and rather heavy bodies. Others, like the Marsh 

 Hawk, beat back and forth close to the ground, seldom if ever soaring, and 

 these have long narrow wings and slender bodies. Still others like the Cooper's 

 and Sharp-shinned species, remain perched on some outpost awaiting the 

 approach of their quarry and then dart out after it, and these have short, 

 rounded wings for sudden bursts of speed. 



Another group of animal feeders are those which feed upon fish, frogs, and 

 crayfish. Practically all have long, pointed, javelin-like bills for spearing 

 their prey, but their various methods of catching the fish have brought about 

 modifications of their other structures. The Herons and Cranes, which catch 

 their fish by stalking them in shallow water, have long, slender legs for wading 

 and long toes for distributing their weight and keeping them from sinking 

 into the soft mud. The Kingfishers, on the other hand, which secure their 

 fish by plunging from above, have little use for their legs and these, following 

 nature's economy, have degenerated. The Terns, likewise, with similar habits, 

 have weak legs, although the toes are webbed for swimming. The Gulls, which 

 have become scavengers and seldom plunge for their food, have developed 

 somewhat hooked bills for rending the flesh of the larger dead fish upon which 

 they feed. 



Another fish-eating bird, and one that plunges for its quarry, is the Osprey 

 or Fish Hawk. This bird still retains the sharp, hooked bill characteristic of 

 its family and so, instead of spearing its fish as does the Kingfisher, it catches 

 them in its strong, sharp talons, 

 and the soles of its feet are 

 armed with sharp horny tuber- 

 cles to cut through the slime 

 covering the fish and keep it 

 from slipping from its grasp. 

 When the Osprey rises from the 

 water with its prey and flies to 

 some high tree to devour it, it 

 has merely to continue holding 

 it in its talons in order to tear 

 it to pieces with its strong bill. 

 But when the Tern or the King- 

 fisher rises from the water, the 

 small fish is transfixed by the 

 partially opened bill of the bird. 

 (All of the fish which I have 

 examined that have been speared 

 by Terns or Kingfishers have 

 shown the two holes made by pintail (Captive), a dabbling duck 



1,1 j'i_i • >i Note the relatively long, slender neck and small feet 



both mandibles as m the placed weii forward 



