142 THE STORY OF THE BIRDS. 
grasping member, and here comes in the first tendency 
among the birds to prey on each other. This, how- 
ever, had prevailed long ago among the lower creatures, 
and in the land-haunting reptiles that show nearest 
kinship to birds there were evident modifications for 
preying upon each other. In these cases the rule is 
that the prey is captured with the foot and usually 
killed with it. The most terrible armament of talons 
prevail and a remarkable development of strength of 
grasp. The hook on the beak alone, with the jaws 
closed, is frequently used to lay out a victim, as the 
lion uses his unsheathed paw. 
Some of the low forms of this group, as the car- 
rion vultures, are not so well armed. Indeed, they 
scarcely have a foot fit for grasping. They are won- 
derfully endowed for soaring flight, keen sight and 
scent, depending mostly upon the former two. From 
these run all gradations to the true falcons which eat 
nothing that they slay not themselves, and rarely 
attack a sitting object. In them is found not neces- 
sarily the highest form of flight, but its best form for 
darting upon a victim. Perhaps in all Nature there 
is nothing so fine as an exhibition of skill and daring 
as the swoop of a bird of prey, though there is no 
comparison in bravery with the attacks of some mam- 
mals. 
The owls are usually night prowlers. They are 
endowed with large eyes and soft flight by means of 
specially shaped, recurved feather tips, so that they may 
noiselessly steal upon their prey. The ear is also so 
shaped as to gather sounds from below. They are 
