144 FACULTIES OF BIRDS, 



for it is not unusual for travellers, unacquainted with 

 natural history, to confound vultures and other large 

 birds with eagles. 



From eagles being observed to feed chiefly on ani- 

 mals killed by themselves, while other carnivorous 

 birds were content with carrion, the ancient natural- 

 ists drew distinctions between the species, founded on 

 this circumstance. According to Aristotle, some of 

 these rapacious birds will not attack a pigeon while it 

 is sitting, and the pigeon is so well aware of this, that 

 it will not leave its perch on the appearance of a bird 

 of this sort, but will take wing when another species 

 comes in sight*. Pliny takes the same view with 

 more minuteness ; when speaking of birds of prey he 

 says, they " are divided into sundry and distinct 

 kinds, by their greedinesse, more or lesse, and their 

 manner in chase and preying; for some there be that 

 never seise on a fowle but upon the ground : others 

 againe never assaile any birds, but when they spy 

 them flying about some tree. There be also, that 

 take a bird perching and sitting on high ; and ye 

 shall have them that overtake them as they fly in the 

 wide and open aire. The doves therefore and pigeons, 

 knowing the danger of flying aloft, so soon as they 

 espy them, either light upon the ground and settle, 

 or else fly neere the earth, and thus help themselves 

 by taking a contrary course to the hawks' nature, to 

 avoid their talons f." Proceeding still upon the same 

 view, Albertus Magnus divides rapacious birds into 

 noble, ignoble, and mixed }; a division which has 

 been partially adhered to by most subsequent authors, 

 even down to the most recently proposed classifica- 

 tions . 



" Birds,'' says Mr. Knapp, "which we denominate 

 rapacious, such as falcons, hawks, owls, live upon 



* De Anim. ix. 24. f Holland's Plinie, i. 274. 



J De Anim. xxiii. 5, de Falcone. Zool. Journ. i. 313, 



