BIRDS OF PREY. 161 



that a hawk will kill a thrush, and so condemn it; 

 but the thrush that eats an earthworm goes scot-free. 

 Of course in this, as in all else, man is very incon- 

 sistent ; but when we simply see the hawk hovering 

 above an uncared-for mouse, or mark the eagle as 

 he flies directly towards the sun, or follow the ma- 

 noeuvres of falcons that chase each other until above 

 the clouds, and swooping earthward with lightning 

 speed, just clear the ground and rise with fixed pinions 

 to the upper air, we are so filled with honest admiration 

 that the so-called bad qualities are quite overlooked. 

 Birds of prey may be low in the scale of the system- 

 atist, but forever they will remain the birds of birds. 



There are three groups into which this class is 

 divided, and we all recognize the differences at a 

 glance : the Vultures, the Falcons, and the Owls. 



Vultures, while in a sense birds of prey, are car- 

 rion-feeders, and this feature, while it makes them 

 repulsive, at the same time causes their usefulness to 

 be recognized, and many of them are almost domesti- 

 cated, living in our towns and giving as little heed to 

 the people about them as do our poultry. Being 

 unmolested, they are tame, and that might be applied 

 to a great many other birds, that is, it is possible 

 to have many birds now exceedingly wild become 

 equally tame, equally familiar. I have experimented 

 in this direction for so many years that I am positive 

 the assertion is warranted. Birds, as a class, it must 

 be remembered, are very intelligent. They carefully 

 study the status of affairs, and learn to discriminate 

 between friends and foes. Make a place safe for 

 birds and the birds will find it out and occupy it. 

 / 14* 



