384 



GENERAL ZOOLOGY 



case with some of the other hawks which do not sail so con- 

 spicuously in the air. Hen-hawks undoubtedly do more good 

 than harm by destroying large numbers of mice and other 

 small mammals. The vultures are, generally speaking, scav- 

 engers, or they may attack weak and disabled animals. The 

 black vulture and the turkey-buzzard are invaluable as scav- 

 engers in the southern states. They have been protected for 



this reason, and have 

 become very tame in 

 many places. The 

 owls (Fig. 202) are 

 adapted to nocturnal 

 life. The plumage is 

 soft, making possible 

 a noiseless flight ; the 

 eyes are large, and 

 placed so that they 

 look forward. 



Parrots and Cock- 

 atoos. The Pait'taci 

 (Gr. psittakos, parrot) 

 are generally birds of 



Colors ' with a 



u. 202. Photograph of Barred Owl 



very stout, strongly 



hooked beak, which is used for climbing, as well as for 

 crushing seeds. They have four toes, arranged two in front 

 and two behind, with strong, curved claws. Most species 

 inhabit forests ; they are all good climbers. A great many 

 species can learn to talk, but the red-tailed gray parrot of 

 Africa is considered the best talker. The cockatoos (Fig. 

 203) are often ornamented with crest-feathers of various 

 colors. They are restricted to Australia, Tasmania, and 

 the Philippines. A New Zealand parrot, the kea (Nes'tor 

 notab'ilis), has of late years become carnivorous in its habits, 



