BIRDS OF PREY. 165 
the most savage and disgusting scenes in nature, and truly worthy 
the infernal bird of Prometheus.” 
This Southern vulture is rarely seen in the Middle 
States, a straggler now and then being recorded, but 
inland it goes quite as far north. 
As a class the hawks are certainly more attractive 
than vultures, and there is no more graceful bird, 
when flying, than the Swallow-tailed Kite, a bird of 
the ‘tropical and warm-temperate portions of conti- 
nental America,’ and a visitor to the interior States, 
along the Mississippi River and eastward to Ohio. 
It is of rare occurrence in Pennsylvania, but is re- 
corded also of New Jersey and New England. 
The habits of the bird are such that it deserves 
encouragement, feeding as it does on insects, snakes, 
lizards, and such forms of animal-life ‘as must neces- 
sarily be held in check ;” but the quotation calls for 
some comment, for both snakes and lizards are ex- 
tremely useful, the former in keeping down the mice, 
the latter in destroying insects. It is unfair to over- 
look the good accomplished by unattractive forms of 
life. 
According to Wilson,— 
“The Swallow-tailed Hawk retires to the south in October, at 
which season, Mr. Bartram informs me, they are seen in Florida at a 
vast height in the air, sailing about with great steadiness, and con- 
tinued to be seen thus passing to their winter-quarters for several 
days. They usually feed from their claws as they fly along. Their 
flight is easy and graceful, with sometimes occasional sweeps among 
the trees, the long feathers of their tail spread out, and each ex- 
tremity of it used alternately to lower, elevate, or otherwise direct 
their course.” 
The Blue or Mississippi Kite is a bird strictly of 
