290 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



The reader will no doubt find many seeming exceptions to these divisions ; 

 for instance, the turkey vulture mostly migrates further south in winter, yet I 

 have seen it in midwinter, when the mercury was below zero, striving with a 

 crow for the possession of a dead mouse. 



Birds are also cither — 



1. Carnivorous : flesh-eater? — vultures, hawks, &c. 



2. Pisciiorous : fish-eaters — kingfishers, herons, &c. 



3. Insect iiorous : insect-eaters — woodpeckers, flycatchers, &c. 



4. Lhanivorous : grain-eaters — pigeons, sparrows, &c. 



5. Omnivorous : all-eaters — crows, blackbirds, &;c. 



These terms are even more exceptional than the pi-eceding ones. In a vari- 

 able climate, or where the species migrates from warm summer to cold winter 

 regions, or the contrary, its food must often vary with the season, &c. Hence, 

 both as regards residence and food, the terms are only the expression of a gen- 

 eral fact, and having only a relative applicatior 



LAND BIRDS. 

 I. FA.'VnLY VULTUUIDiE, (THE VULTURES.) 



1. Genus Cathartes, (Illiger, 1811.) 



1. C. aura, (Linn., 17G6, Illiger, 1811,) turkey vulture. Resident, common 

 in summer ; rai'c in winter ; carnivorous ; with us its chief food is carrion ; 

 " feeds on all sorts of food, and sucks the eggs, and devours the young of other 

 birds." The turkey buzzard, rendered so tepulsive by its habits, is neverthe- 

 less a most useful scavenger for the speedy removal of every form of putrescent 

 animal matter, so offensive to our olfactories, so prejudicial to our health. It 

 well deserves the protection with us that both it and its cousin the black vul- 

 ture receive in southern climates where they are almost domesticated. 



II. FAMILY FALCONtD^, (THE HAWKS.) 



2. Genus Falco, (Linn., 1766.) 



1. F. anatum, (Bon., 1838,) duck hawk. Winter resident, very rare ; car- 

 nivorous; feeds on ducks, pigCDUS, blackbirds, &c. 



2. F. columharius, (Linn., 17G6,) pigeon hawk. "Wanderhig, very rare ; car- 

 nivorous ; feeds on pigeons and smaller birds, field mice, &c. 



3. F. sparverius, (Linn., 1766,) sparrow hawk. Besident, common; less so 

 in winter ; carnivorous. As its name implies, it feeds on sparrows and other 

 small birds, field mice, shrews, and small reptiles. 



3. Genus Astur, (Lacepede, 1803.) 



1. A. africapillus, (Wils.,) Bd., goshawk. Winter resident, not common; 

 carnivorous ; preys on partridges, birds, field mice, &c. 



4. Genus Accipiter, (Briss., 1760.) 



1. A. cooperii, (Bon.,) Bd., Cooper's hawk. Winter resident, rare; carnivo- 

 rous. Its principal food consists of birds and small quadrupeds ; when hungry, 

 will not refuse a chicken for its dessert. 



2. A. Juscus, (Gmel.,) Bd., sharp-shinned hawk. Resident, or nearly so; 

 never abundant ; carnivorous ; feeds on small birds, mice, &c. 



Observation. — The smaller members of this family mostly resort to the woods, 

 fields, and meadows in quest of food, and seldom visit the poultry yard, unless 

 pressed by hunger. The faimer can well afford them this small pittance for 

 their service in destroying mice, shrews, moles, &;c., in his fields. 



5. Genus Butco, (Cuv., 1817.) 



1. B.horealis, (Gmel.,) Bd., red-tailed hawk. Resident, common ; carnivo- 

 rous. The predatory habits of this powerful bird have rendered him the terror 

 of the poultry yard. Partridges, larks, and other birds, rabbits, squirrels, mice. 



