THE ANI-MAL KINGDOM. 



are distinguished from the other Raptores by the size of 

 their heads, and by their enormous cat-like eyes, which 

 are in some species surrounded by white discs, which 



serve to gather the scanty 

 light, and convey it to the 

 organ of sight. They are 

 like the cats, too, in their 

 very quiet movements. 

 Their feathers are very 

 loosely placed, the inter- 

 mediate space being filled 

 up by soft down ; this 

 enables them to fly with 

 the utmost quietness, so 

 as to pounce upon any 

 little animal . that may be 

 sleeping, or that may be 

 "out late." The greater 

 part of the owls of this 

 countiy feed on rats and 

 mice, whilst those in the 

 north of Europe seem to 

 feed on birds. 



Passerines (called also Insessores, or Pcrchcrs). The 

 name of this order is derived from passer, a sparrow, and 

 this will at once give you an idea of the kind of birds it 

 contains. They are all such as do not belong to the other 

 definite orders, and amongst them we meet with all those 

 ' that build the comfortable " nests " for their young, and 

 also all the birds which charm us with their singing, such 

 as the Nightingale (Fig. 53), the Thrush, the "War- 

 bler, c. They have all four toes, which are generally 

 placed three in front and one behind (Fig. 54), and there 

 are none of them which have two toes in front and two 

 behind. As these birds are almost constantly on the wing, 



52- 



