244 



FALCOXID.E. BIRDS. THE CARACARA. 



find when strongly pressed by hunger. There are, 

 however, some exceptions to this general rule ; a few 

 of the species being almost as inveterate carrion-eaters 

 as the vultures, with which they often share their 

 dainty meals. The Falconidae are distinguished from 

 the vultures with which they agree in their diurnal 

 habits and in having the eyes placed upon the sides of 

 the head by the much shorter and more powerful bill, 

 which is always much hooked, the ridge of the upper 

 mandible being generally curved from the base to the 

 apex, and its margins are in most cases armed with a 

 tooth on each side. The base of the bill is enveloped 

 in a cere, in which the nostrils are pierced (fig. 94, 

 p. 236); their eyes are overshadowed by projecting 

 brows ; the head and neck are clothed with feathers ; 

 the toes are armed with long and powerful claws ; 

 and the hinder toe, which in the vultures is compara- 

 tively short and weak, acquires a considerable develop- 

 ment, and renders the foot a most efficient grasping 

 organ. It is in fact with the feet that these birds seize 

 and carry off then* prey, and the bill appears in most 

 cases to be employed only in tearing it to pieces. In 

 the habits and mode of life of the Falconidse, there is a 

 much greater variety than is observable in the vultures. 

 Some ot them feed almost exclusively upon birds and 

 mammals ; others upon snakes, frogs, and other rep- 



tiles. Others, again, are fishers by profession ; whilst 

 a considerable number, especially of the smaller species, 

 derive a great portion of their nourishment from 

 insects. Their modes of catching prey are also greatly 

 diversified. Some hover in the air, or sail slowly along 

 until their victim appears in sight, when they dart 

 down upon it with the rapidity of lightning; some 

 pursue their prey with the greatest pertinacity, until 

 they get an opportunity of seizing it with their murder- 

 ous talons; whilst others haunt woods and thickets, 

 and appear to lie in waiting for their food. They 

 usually nidificate amongst rocks or in tall trees, build- 

 ing a nest of sticks on which they lay from two to 

 five eggs, which are almost always of a white colour, 

 spotted with reddish-brown. The females are gener- 

 ally larger than the males, but inferior to them in 

 intensity of colour ; and the young birds pass through 

 several changes of plumage before attaining their adult 

 dress. The differences presented by the numerous 

 species of birds forming this family in their minor 

 characters, together with corresponding differences in 

 their habits, have led to their division into numerous 

 minor groups, which we may adopt here as sections, 

 commencing with the Caracaras, which from their 

 carrion-eating habits, must be regarded as most nearly 

 approaching the preceding family. 



CARACARAS. 



THE CA&ACABA (Polylorvs Iraziliensis), one of the 

 best-known species of this group, is an inhabitant of 

 South America, where, according to M. D'Orbigny, it 

 replaces the serpent-eater ol the Cape of Good Hope, 

 from the number of snakes which it destroys. It does 

 not, however, confine itself to this diet, but feeds in- 

 differently upon carrion, insects, and mollusca, and 

 also, like many vultures, attacks new-bom lambs. 

 D'Orbigny states that it is never seen to give chase to 

 birds, but, on the other hand, in some districts it can 

 scarcely fly without being pursued by some species of 

 small birds, against which it makes no effort to defend 

 itself. Chickens, however, are not safe from its depre- 

 dations, and it not unfrequently accompanies the sports- 

 man in his excursions, and seizes upon the birds shot 

 by him. Mr. Darwin informs us that the Caracara, 

 together with a smaller but nearly allied species, the 

 chimango, frequents the neighbourhood of the slaughter- 

 houses, to feed on the offals thrown out ; and these two 

 birds also follow the vultures in devouring the carcass 

 of any animal that dies in the open country, and never 

 leave it until the bones are quite clean. According to 

 some writers, the Caracaras are not above taking their 

 carrion at second-hand; they are said to watch for 

 one of the vultures returning from his repast, when 

 they fly out upon him and pursue him until he finds 

 it necessary to disgorge his food, upon which the con- 

 spirators immediately descend. D'Azara states that 

 these birds also combine to pursue some of the larger 

 birds, such as the heron. M. D'Orbigny describes the 

 Caracaras as accompanying the traveller throughout 

 the vast solitudes of the South American forests, but 



never making their appearance until he comes to a 

 halt; then suddenly he will see them perching upon 

 the trees in his vicinity, and apparently waiting for the 

 remains of his dinner. Mr. Darwin, however, attributes 

 a far less amiable object to these intruders, and regards 

 this conduct on their part as an evidence of their desire 

 to indulge their carrion-eating propensities at the per- 

 sonal expense of the traveller. Of this, he says, any one 

 may convince himself, " by walking out on one of the 

 desolate plains, and then lying down to sleep : when he 

 awakes, he will see, on each surrounding hillock, one 

 of these birds patiently watching him with an evil eye." 

 The Caracara, which is also called the Carrancha 

 in South America, is said to derive its name from its 

 peculiar guttural cry, which is compared by Mr. Dar- 

 win " to the sound of the Spanish guttural, g, followed 

 by a rough double r, r." When uttering this cry it 

 throws the head back, until at last the crown almost 

 touches the lower part of the back, the beak being all 

 the while kept wide open. It is about the size of our 

 common kite, and has a tail nine inches in length. The 

 general colour of the plumage is a blackish-brown, with 

 the neck and breast brownish-grey, barred with brown ; 

 the top of the head is black, and the feathers of this 

 part are elongated, so as to form a sort of crest, which 

 the bird can elevate at pleasure ; the feathers of the tail 

 are of a dirty-white colour, with numerous transverse 

 dusky bands, and the tips black. The feet are yellow 

 with black claws, and the cere and cheeks are naked 

 and dull red. It is rather an indolent bird, especially 

 when gorged with food, and never flies to any great 

 height ; on the ground it runs with facility. Its nest 



