BIRDS AT SCHOOL 119 



In the same way, no doubt, birds learn to 

 know the different kinds of birds of prey 

 from each other ; they see which are slow and 

 cowardly, like the kite and buzzard, and which 

 are quick and fierce, like the falcon and hawk. 



The birds of prey themselves have their 

 lessons to learn, and they have more schooling 

 than most birds. Old birds do not have to 

 teach their young ones to fly, as one often 

 hears ; they can fly by instinct, just as they 

 can walk or hop, but they are clumsy at first, 

 and fly better with practice. Now a bird of 

 prey has not only to learn to fly cleverly and 

 settle neatly, like all birds that fly, but it must 

 also learn how to seize its prey, and this is 

 often taught it by the parents. 



Eagles have been seen teaching their young 

 to catch things in the air ; one old bird soars 

 high, carrying in its claws some creature 

 which it has killed ; underneath the young 

 bird flies, and tries to catch the prey which 

 its parent drops for it, while the other old 

 one keeps handy to seize the food if the young 

 one misses it, which it is very likely to do at 

 first. 



Then the young hunter has to learn what 



