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BIRDS OF PREY 



by supposing that each was watching the movements of its neighbors, 

 and followed them, as, in their turn, they obtained knowledge of the 

 banquet which awaited them. 



As these vultures feed so little upon living prey, their feet have 

 not nearly so great a power of grasp as have those of other hawks, 

 and are formed more for walking than for clutching a victim. 



These birds are nature's scavengers and disgusting as they are, 

 nevertheless are more useful perhaps than any other variety. 



THE SACRED VULTURE 



I dare say you have noticed that the work of vultures, like that 

 of hyenas, is to perform the duties of scavengers. Like the street 

 cleaners in the cities, who take away the rubbish from our houses, they 

 remove the rubbish or waste matter from the surface of the earth, and, 

 by doing so, prevent it from daily becoming more and more putrid, 

 and giving off odors which would carry disease and even death. 



Owls.— The second great group of the birds of prey are the 

 owls, which hunt principally by night. During the day-time they hide 



