viii CONTENTS. 



Page 



CHAPTER VI. Eagle and Hawk Tribe. Wild Eagle- 

 Tamed Muscular powers of Carry off Children, 

 Lambs, &c. Sometimes killed on the wing by Weasels. 

 Battle between Cat and Eagle. How caught when 

 fishing Voracity of Nests Singular mode of captur- 

 ing their prey. Bird of Washington. Eagle Traps. 

 Feathers prized 98 



CHAPTER VII. Vultures Loathsome feeders Strength of. 

 Snake-Eater. Mode of killing Serpents. Hawks 

 Character of. Hawking for Bustards Value of. 

 Iceland Falcons much prized. Falconry in former days. 

 Contest with Herons. Modes of Catching. The 

 Sparrow- Hawk. Anecdotes. The Glead, or Kite. 

 Herons. Food of the Hawk Tribe Their disposition. 

 The Hawk sacred to the Egyptians and Turks 124 



CHAPTER VIII. Owls Superstitions respecting Short- 

 eared. The Great Snowy Owl White Owl Mode of 

 feeding Attachment to young Used in Bird- catching. 

 Burrowing Owl. Dentirostral ; Notch-billed Birds. 

 Shrikes Mode of feeding Nests of Used in taking 

 Falcons. Puff-backed Shrike. Thrush genus Instinc- 

 tive habits of feeding. Anecdote. Thrush and young 

 Cuckoo. Fly-Catchers. Cotinga. Tanagers Beauty 

 of. Serratirostral, or Serrated Beaks. Hornbills. 

 Plenirostral ; Strong-billed. Crackles. Paradise Birds 157 



CHAPTER IX. Ravens Occasionally desert their young 

 Predacious Habits Sagacity. Various Anecdotes. 

 Crows and Rooks Characters of each. Tame Crow. 

 Meetings or Councils of Crows, Herons, Magpies, 

 &c. Whether Rooks are beneficial or injurious to the 

 Farmer. Hard Winters favourable to Insects. Rook- 

 eries. Red-legged Crow. Jackdaws. Jays and Mag- 

 pies 195 



CHAPTER X. Passerine Order, continued. Conirostras ; 

 Conical Beaks. Orioles. Starlings. Habits of. 

 Finch Tribe. Goldfinch. Anecdotes of. Nests rapidly 



