GREY PETCHARY, 



173 



descends upon the intruder's back, shrieking all 

 the while, as he sinks and rises, and repeats his 

 attacks with vehemence, The Carrion Vulture, 

 that seldom courses the air but with gliding mo- 

 tion, now flaps his wings eagerly, and pitches down- 

 ward at every stroke his assailant makes at him, 

 and tries to dodge him. In this way he pursues 

 him, and frequently brings him to the ground. 



" The Hawk is beset by all birds of any power 

 of wing, but the boldest, and, judging from the con- 

 tinued exertion he makes to escape, the most effec- 

 tive of his assailants is the Petchary. It is not 

 with feelings of contempt the Hawk regards this 

 foe: he hurries away from him with rapid flight, 

 and hastily seeks to gain some resting place ; but 

 as he takes a direct course from one exposed tree 

 to another equally ill-suited, he is seen again sub- 

 mitting to the infliction of a renewed visit from 

 his pertinacious assailant, till he is constrained to 

 soar upward, and speed away, wearied by the 

 buffets of his adversary. 



" The appearance of the Petchary, when he 

 erects the feathers of his crest, or opens those 

 of his forehead, and shews glimpses of his fiery 

 crown is fierce, vindictive, and desperate. His 

 eye is deeply dark, and his bill, although it greatly 

 resembles, in its robust make, that of the Raven, 

 is even of sturdier proportions than that bird's ; 

 the bristles are black, and amazingly strong. 



" The Petchary has been known to make prey 

 of the Humming-bird, as it hovers over the bios- 

 some of the garden. When he seizes it, he kills 



