RAPACIOUS BIRDS. 49 



in both is remarkably acute, and the strong, 

 curved and toothed beak of the birds, like the 

 powerful teeth of the feline tribe, is admirably 

 adapted for tearing ; and their claws, large, curved 

 and sharp, are equally fitted for holding and 

 lacerating their prey. 



The general purpose of both classes is to act as 

 a salutary check upon over production ; and birds 

 of prey, like wolves and hyenas, perform the part 

 of scavengers in removing dead animal matter, 

 which would be, without their assistance, exceed- 

 ingly hurtful to the living. 



Among birds the predatory classes are endowed 

 with a keener sense of smell than the graminivor- 

 ous tribes ; yet it seems to have been satisfactorily 

 proved that they are, to a great extent, dependent 

 on the sight for the discovery of their prey. 

 Audubon stuffed a deer's skin with hay, and 

 placed it in an open field, in the attitude of a dead 

 animal. A vulture soon made its appearance, 

 and perching on the stuffed skin, began to tear it 

 open with all its force, but finding that it only 

 drew forth grass, after many efforts, it abandoned 

 its attempts with evident reluctance. Young 

 vultures in confinement give no signs of perceiving 

 the presence of their food, however near it may 

 be placed to them, unless they see it ; and thus, 

 too, herons and other wading birds are guided by 



