BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



ORDER L EAPTOEES. 

 RAPACIOUS BIRDS, OR BIRDS OF PREY, 



CHAPTER I. 



VULTURES, FALCONS, and OWLS Solitary Vulture seen in 

 England Raptorial Birds EAGLES Two British species, 

 the Golden, and the White-tailed or Sea Eagle. Account 

 of the Golden Eagle and his mate in their native haunts 

 Tame Golden Eagles The Sea Eagle, the Common 

 British Eagle Account of this bird in his fishing haunts 

 The Patriarch Job's poetical description of the king of 

 Birds. 



THE formidable tribe of RAPACIOUS birds, or birds 

 of prey, is the first in order among the feathered 

 race. 



VULTURES, FALCONS, and OWLS, are included in it ; 

 but the first of these can scarcely be said to belong 1 

 to our country, as only one is certainly known to 

 have been seen and killed in England. This 

 solitary case occurred in 1825, or 1826, in Somer- 

 setshire. A strange unknown bird, was, one day 

 in the month of June, seen walking along a road 

 near the sea-shore ; evidently so gorged with food, 



