SCRATCHERS AND SEIZERS 55 



ticularly prolonged and forms a most effective hoe. 

 Another hoeing genus, in a very different family, is 

 that of the Monauls (Lopbopborus) among the game- 

 birds, best-known in the person of the splendid 

 " Impeyan Pheasant " ; this bird will continue 

 hoeing by the hour, in search of roots and grubs, 

 and scratches very little, although belonging to a 

 group which are particularly characterized by 

 using the feet in this way in search of food. 



In fact, the Game-birds used to be known by the 

 general title of Rasores or scratchers, and every one 

 knows what execution they can do in this way. 

 Their scratching instinct and capacity, in fact, is 

 no doubt one of their strongest assets in the struggle 

 for existence ; the habit is not a common one among 

 birds when applied to food-getting, though it crops 

 up again amongst the Passerines ; the Whydah- 

 birds among the Finches, for instance, are scratchers, 

 and so is our Bearded Reedling. The Lyre-bird 

 (Menura superb a), too, is a most powerful scratcher ; 

 indeed, it actually grips clods and throws them 

 back, shifting masses of as much as seven pounds in 

 weight, although not bigger than a Fowl. 



The feet, however, are only employed in actually 

 seizing food in the birds of prey Hawks, Eagles, 

 and Owls and in these are specialized for the 

 purpose, being armed, as every one knows, with 

 particularly long and sharp claws, and having a 

 most powerful grip, at least in the typical forms. 

 There are some interesting minor specializations 

 among these birds ; thus, the especially bird- 



