KEEL-BREASTED BIRDS. 267 



form, ranging throughout temperate North America, and 

 attains a length of three feet and stretch of wing of 

 seven feet. The general color is brown, the neck, head, 

 and tail white after the third year. They are arrant cow- 

 ards, driven about by the small king-bird, and stealing 

 the hard - earned plunder of the osprey. The nest is 

 generally in a tall tree, composed of sticks, sods, etc., 

 and added to year by year, often assuming" great pro- 

 portions. 



In South America the harpy eagle ( Thras&tus harfyia) 

 is most formidable and preys upon the sloth, while the 

 sea, golden * (Fig. 300), imperial and African screaming 

 eagles are other typical forms. 



The hawks are much smaller than the eagles, and, 

 including the latter, fifty-three species are known in 

 North America. The sharp-shinned hawk {Accipiter /us- 

 cus] is common all over North America. The female, 

 contrary to the rule among birds, is larger than the 

 male. 



The swallow-tailed kite (Elanotdcs forficatus) f is pe- 

 culiarly an American bird. In their habits and flight they 

 resemble the swallows, and also feed upon insects, wasps, 

 and grasshoppers, and have been seen darting about in 

 a swarm of bees, catching them in their claws and eat- 

 ing them. The prairie falcon, sparrow hawk, osprey, gos- 

 hawks, harriers, etc., are other familiar forms. 



* These birds are extremely powerful, and have been known to 

 carry off large animals and children, and in one instance a golden 

 eagle attacked a pig and was carrying it off when the owner rushed 

 out. The eagle then dropped the pig, and attacked the man with 

 such fur} 7 that only the timely assistance of several villagers saved his 

 life. 



f Prof. Moseley saw a kite of another genus (Milvus) at Cape 

 Verd Islands that had the habits of a gull and flew about the ship, 

 picking up with its feet bits of garbage, eating also on the wing. 

 One of the birds was seized by a shark while it was fishing, and aftei 

 a shcrt struggle drawn under water. 

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