22 FACULTIES OF BIRDS. 



Eyes of the Eagle, showing their great size in proportion to the head. 



The mere bulk of the eye, however, is rather a 

 fallacious test to trust to ; for several birds, in which 

 the globe of the eye is large, have very weak sight, 

 particularly in the daytime, such as the woodcock and 

 the owls. The woodcock (Scolopax Gallinago, RAY) 

 has very large, prominent eyes, but it cannot support 

 a strong light, and sees best during twilight ; and, 

 as Colonel Montagu remarks, its eyes seem to be 

 peculiarly calculated for collecting the faint rays of 

 light in the darkened vales and sequestered wood- 

 lands, during nocturnal excursions, thus enabling it 



