244 VERTEBRATA. AVES. 



ment of all their organs, which their rapacious mode 

 of life renders indispensable. 



Representing the Carnivora among the quadru- 

 peds, the Accipitres are furnished with weapons not 

 less formidable than theirs, nor less adapted for 

 seizing and tearing the flesh of animals. Their 

 large curved talons are longer, more powerful, and 

 sharper than those of the Gats; while the hooked 

 bill, notched in sharp angular forms, supplies the 

 place of lacerating teeth. They naturally separate 

 into two subdivisions, those which seek their food 

 by day, and those which prey by night. The former 

 are by far the more numerous, and possess in greater 

 perfection the organization peculiar to the order. 

 The base of the bill in these is covered with a mem- 

 brane called the cere y in which the nostrils are 

 placed; the toes, three before and one behind, are 

 without feathers; the plumage is close, strong, and 

 firm in texture ; the wings, long and very powerful. 

 These form two great families, the Vultures and 

 the Falcons. 



Vultwrf the Vulture. 



Voracious and disgusting in their propensities, 

 unpleasing in their form, lazy and cowardly in their 

 habits, the Vultures yet fill a highly useful station 

 in the world of nature. They manifest in a less 

 degree than most of their order those powers for 

 which it is distinguished, more frequently preying 

 on carrion, the'flesh of dead or dying animals, than 



* Its Latin name. 



