168 BEAKS OF FALCONS 



one ; and it answers in the economy of the bird, to 

 the tearing grinders in carnivorous mammalia, the 

 claws performing the operation of killing in the 

 falcons, just as the canine teeth do in those. It is 

 not suited for thrusting or striking ; and therefore it 

 is not so formidable as a weapon as some of the 

 straight bills ; but it takes a very firm hold ; and 

 there is no soft part of an animal which it will not 

 divide with the greatest ease. It is also well formed 

 for pulling feathers ; and by means of it the falcon 

 can deplume her game, as neatly, and with as little 

 injury to the flesh, as the most expert poulterer. It 

 can also cut open the birds, divide the tendons and 

 ligaments, and when scarcity of prey renders economy 

 necessary, it can separate all the joints, and leave 

 not an atom of eatable matter on the bones. 



In proportion as the different species of falcons 

 and hawks have the bill approaching to this typical 

 one, they are preyers on the wing, and consequently 

 preyers upon birds, killing their own game, and eating 

 it in the recent state. In proportion, too, as they have 

 this structure of the beak more perfect, they fly at 

 " higher game," or birds of more powerful wing. The 

 plumage of these is more firmly set, and the tendons 

 and even the muscles are much tougher than in birds 

 of lower flight ; and besides, the low-flying hawks, 

 harriers, and buzzards, strike prey upon the ground ; 

 and prey upon small mammalia, or occasionally take 

 a mess of carrion or garbage. 



It is thus not without some shadow of reason that 

 the high flying falcons were called " noble," and the 

 low-flying ones " ignoble ;" for there is a sublimity 

 in their style of hawking, as compared with that of 

 the others. They are the genuine birds of prey ; for 

 though they descend to the earth to strip and eat 



