284 



A COURSE ON ZOOLOGY. 



FIG. 231. 



although sometimes uniting together in immense flocks. 

 Among our wild pigeons are the band-tailed, the red- 

 billed, the white-crowned, and the passenger. The com- 

 mon wild dove of the United States is the mourning 

 dove, so called from its plaintive cry. The species of 

 domestic pigeon are exceedingly numerous ; one of them, 

 the carrier pigeon, has been employed for ages for carry- 

 ing messages ; when taken hundreds of miles from its 

 home it is able to find its way through the air, and 

 quickly returns to its nest. 



Raptores. In their habits the raptores correspond to 

 carnivorous mammals. Some live on small birds and 

 quadrupeds, others on fish, reptiles, and insects. Their 

 toes are armed with strong, hooked claws, called talons ; 



the beak is straight at the 

 base, but curved towards 

 the end, and terminates in 

 a sharp point. The wings 

 generally have a wide spread, 

 and most of the order are 

 rapid in flight. The nests 

 or eyries are placed on high 

 trees or inaccessible rocks. 



We may distinguish in the 

 order the nocturnal family 

 of owls from the other fam- 

 ilies, which are diurnal. The 

 latter have the eyes in the 



HEAD AND FOOT OF BB^LIA^EAGLB. sides f the head ' the y fl y 



and hunt during the day- 

 time. Among them are the vultures, kites, hawks, buz- 

 zards, eagles, and sparrow-hawks. 



The eagles inhabit mountains and steep cliffs. There 



