RAPACIOUS BIRDS. 171 



mals. Most of them, having different conformations 

 and inclinations, are supported by variety of diet ; by 

 which means every station and place is made an abode, 

 and maintains its inhabitants, for the " Creator hath 

 opened his hand, and filled all things living with plen- 

 teousness." 



As a brief note, not a disquisition, upon the subject, 

 is designed, we will pass over the habits arid disposi- 

 tions of beasts and insects, strongly charactered as they 

 are, and only instance a few of our land-birds, as af- 

 fording the most familiar instances ; and we shall find 

 that it is not the genera only, but the individuals which 

 compose them in many instances, that are supported by 

 different aliment. And first, those birds which we de- 

 nominate as Rapacious, such as falcons, hawks, owls, 

 live upon animal food which they capture, kill, and 

 devour ; abstaining, unless stimulated by necessity, 

 from creatures they may find dead. Then come the 

 pies : of these, the raven and crow likewise eat animal 

 food, but it is generally such as has been killed by vio- 

 lence or ceased to exist, only in cases of want* killing 

 for themselves. The rook, the daw, the magpie, con- 

 sume worms, grubs, and are not addicted, except from 

 hunger, to eating other animal matters. The two first 

 feed at times in society ; the latter associates with nei- 

 ther, but feeds in places remote from such as are fre- 

 quented by them. The jay too eats grubs and such 

 things, but seeks them out under hedges, in coverts and 

 places which others of his kind abandon to him. The 

 cuckoo seems principally to live upon the eggs of birds 

 with a few insects and larvae occasionally ; the wryneck 

 upon emmets, from heaps under hedges near conceal- 

 ment the woodpeckers upon insects found upon trees ; 

 and when they seek for the emmet, they prefer the ant- 



* The crow in the spring, when food is difficult of attainment, will 

 kiU young pigeons ; and the magpie having young ones, captures 

 the new hatches of our domestic poultry : but these are cases of ne- 

 cessity rather than habit. The raven has a decided inclination for 

 the eyes of creatures, and finding lambs in a weak state, immediately 

 plucks them out, and when the animal is recently dead, commences 

 his depredations upon these parts. 



