132 NATURAL HISTORY. 



Fig. 109. The Goshawk. 



poised almost without motion. They sweep through the 

 air in wide circles with outspread wings, using the tail 

 as a rudder ; and they often mount up so high as to be- 

 come nearly invisible. Like the Eagles, therefore, they 

 have a wide range of vision in searching for prey ; but, 

 instead of directly rushing, like the eagles, upon their vic- 

 tim, they skim it, as it were, from the surface of the earth 

 or the water, bearing it away in their talons. Their prey 

 consists of moles, rats, mice, young poultry, and small 

 reptiles. They will not refuse carrion. Some species 

 perform the office of scavengers in Turkey, Egypt, India, 

 etc., appearing for this purpose in large numbers in the 

 streets of some of the cities. Kites performed this use- 

 ful office in London as late as theHimes of Henry VIII. 

 One of the most remarkable of these kinds is the Amer- 

 ican Swallow-tailed Kite, Fig. 110 (p. 133). It is found 

 in South America, and goes as far north as 40 degrees 

 of latitude . Its food consists of insects, small snakes, 

 lizards, and frogs. It sweeps over the fields close to 

 the ground, and sometimes, seizing a snake by the neck, 



