CLASS-BOOK OF ZOOLOGY. 69 



SECTION XIV. 

 1st Order — Birds of Prey: (Accipitres.) 



§ 257. Birds of prey are those which have a hooked 

 bill, turned inward ; short, strong feet, with four toes, ter- 

 minated with strong, crooked, sharp-pointed claws. They 

 feed on flesh, make war upon other birds, and smaller 

 animals, which they kill and devour. The Vulture, Hawk, 

 and Owl are examples of this Order. 



§ 258. They generally swallow their prey with the 

 bones and feathers, which they do not however digest, 

 but disgorge again in round balls. 



§ 259. They are found in all parts of the world, but 

 are most numerous in temperate climates : some species, 

 on account of their facility in flying, are natives of all 

 parts of the world. 



§ 260. It is a remarkable fact, that the females of the 

 birds of prey are one-third larger than the males, though 

 in all the other Orders the males are always the largest. 

 Another singular circumstance is, that they change their 

 color, after the first and second moulting ; insomuch that 

 different names have sometimes been given to the same 

 species. 



^ 261. The Condor (Vultur gryphus) is, like all the 

 Vultures, distinguished from the other birds of prey by 

 having a head bare of feathers, and a thick collar of 

 feathers about the shoulders, in which he can completely 

 conceal his naked neck. 



§ 262. The Condor is the largest of the flying birds. 

 His expanded wings measure thirteen feet, and he is from 

 three to four feet long, of a blackish-brown color, with a 

 white circle around the neck, and is found in the regions of 

 the Andes, in Peru, below the eternal snow, at the height 

 of 8,000 feet. He feeds on all kinds of dead and live 

 animals. 



§ 263. The Condor excites surprise by his courage, as 

 well as by the enormous strength of his beak, wings, and 

 claws. He attacks not only the Llama, Vicugna, Stags, 



