BIRDS OF PREY AND OWLS 



473 



rare indeed. In both species 

 the male is a much smaller 

 bird than the female, and is 

 also more brightly coloured. 

 The GOS-HAWK was at one 

 time used in falconry; it is 

 a bird of extremely ferocious 

 disposition, and in the days 

 when hawks were used for 

 sporting purposes had to be 

 kept very safely tethered, as, 

 if it gained its liberty, it 

 would at once proceed to kill 

 every other hawk and falcon 

 in the " mews." 



The Falcon Tribe is 

 divisible into two sections 

 the one containing the Ameri- 

 can CARRION-HAWKS, and 

 the other the FALCONS. 



The CARRION-HAWKS, or 

 CARACARAS, are long-legged 

 birds which spend most of 

 their time on the ground and 

 run well. They are said to 

 hunt, not seldom in packs, 

 after the fashion of wild dogs. 

 One species at least affords an 

 admirable example of mim- 

 icry so rare among birds. 

 This is the CURASSOW-HAWK, 

 so called from its resemblance 

 to the curassow, one of the 



P. Dand>, F.Z.S.] 



EGYPTIAN VULTURE 



This is one of the foulest feeders of the Vulture Tnbt 



[Rtgtnt'i Park 



Phot, b) SMastic tnM. C..] [f. 



WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE 



This is an Australian species, feeding chiefly upon carrion 

 60 



Game-birds. The resemblance is 

 evidently advantageous, for there- 

 by the hawk is enabled to sit 

 quietly at rest till its prey comes 

 within easy reach, mistaking the 

 hawk for the inoffensive curassow. 

 The FALCONS form an ex- 

 ceedingly interesting group, if 

 only on account of the part 

 which they played in the sports of 

 mediaeval England. Birds of large 

 size and forms as small as sparrows 

 are included within the group ; all 

 are very powerful on the wing, 

 and all feed on living prey, 

 though, in the case of the di- 

 minutive forms, this may consist 



