2S MANUAJ. 



the feet are never truly two in front and two behind [(zygo- 

 dactyle), though one of the front feet in the Owls moves hack- 

 Mard sutHciontly for these birds to sit on a perch and chisp 

 their prey as they fly with two feet in front and two behind, 

 thus (ij)pearmg only to be zygodactyle]. The student of os- 

 TEoiiOCiY will find several distinctive characters ex(dusively 

 pertaining to this order, and even in the different sub-orders. 



The Birds of Prey are usually separated into 



A THE NOCTURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 



containing the Sul)-or(lcr 



1 STRIGIDES or OWLS 



B THE DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 



containing the Sub-orders 



2 ACCIPITRES or FALCONS HAWLS EAGLES 



3 CATHARTIDES or VULTURES 



The Nocturnal Birds of Prey are at once distinguished from 

 the Diurnal Birds of Prey, by the peculiar shape of the feath- 

 ers about and around the eye, by the bi-istly feathers about the 

 bill, the reversible outer front toe, and the soft, flufiy plumage 

 of the Owls (Nocturnal) compared with the clean-cut bill and 

 cere, the tough-skinned feet, and the rough, hard plunuige of 

 the Hawks, etc. (Diurnal) Birds of Prey. The Sub-orders 

 are three. 



Sub-order 1 STRIGIDES or Owls 



Latin sfrix, a screech owl ; Greek slriyx, a screech. 

 The Owls are not easily mistaken for birds of either of the 

 other sub-orders of this order. The radiating disc of feath- 

 ers surrounding the eyes ; eyes large, soft, and watery ; the 

 bristly feathers almost hiding the bill ; the tomia of upper 

 mandible without tooth or notch ; the nostrils partly in the 

 horn of the bill and partly in the cere ; with reversible outer 

 front toe ; legs feathered nearly or quite to the toes ; together 



