342 
rect. Men draw inferences in general from very superficial examination, 
and then often distorted by ancient and deep-rooted prejudice. He who 
makes a particular science a speciality, masters the facts and the phenomena 
existing in and exhibited by it, and his conclusions are more likely to be 
correct than those of the man who looks at the subject with blinded eyes, 
and ‘who seeing, sees not, and hearing, hears not.’’ Human nature recog- 
nizes this fact in every-day life. We do not hire a mason to draw our 
teeth, or a dentist to build us a house. This rule should also apply to 
the student of science. ; 
The hints on the habits of our rapacious birds will, it is hoped, be of 
some use in enabling the farmer to distinguish his friends from his foes, for 
the appearance of a hawk is almost sure to bring out the gun, although 
none of the individuals of that particular species were ever guilty of an 
onslaught on the denizens of the farm-yard—restricting their flesh-eating 
desires to the “‘game” that farmers would be glad to get rid of—rats and 
mice—with a small bird occasionally ; while others have a French appe- 
tite for frogs. Owls also suffer from this want of information, but not 
much more so than those who kill them, and save the rats, mice and 
beetles. The indiscriminate shooting of birds is a serious evil that can be 
stopped by a change in the sentiments of the community only, coupled 
with a correct knowledge of the distinction between species; and it is 
hoped that the present contribution will assist somewhat in producing this 
much to be desired result. 
The order of Raptores is divided by most authors into diurnal or day- 
flying species, and nocturnal or night-flyers. The former including the 
vultures, eagles and hawks; the latter the owls. But this division is more 
apparent than real, as some of the hawks fly in the twilight, and several 
species of owls are day-flyers. All the rapacious birds, however, have a 
strong muscular system—their bills and claws are more or less curved, 
strong, and adapted for tearing the flesh of prey obtained by themselves, 
or otherwise of carrion. In all the species the female is the largest, most 
powerful, and generally most daring. Their unions are always monog- 
amous—often for life; but should one of the partners be destroyed during 
the breeding season, the other soon obtains a new mate. With the excep- 
tion of the vultures their habits are in general solitary. 
