CASS ELL'S 



BOOK OF BIRDS. 



CATCHERS (Captantes). — Continued. 



THE HAWKS. 



The Hawks (Accipitres) are a group of birds that rival the Falcons in rapacity, but are entirely 

 without those qualities popularly supposed to lend a certain nobility to the murderous propensities of 

 their more favoured relatives. 



The Hawks are recognisable by their compact body, long neck, and small head, their short 

 rounded wings, very long tail, and high tarsi ; the toes vary considerably in size. The beak is less 

 vaulted and more compressed at its sides than in the Falcons ; the tooth-like appendages are placed 

 further back, and are less distinctly developed, and the bare circle around the eye is entirely wanting. 

 The plumage is thick and soft, usually dark blueish grey above, and of a lighter shade upon the lower 

 parts of the body, the latter being often darkly striped. Old birds of both sexes are alike in 

 plumage, but the young differ considerably from their parents. The members of this family are 

 found throughout the whole world, some species being confined to a comparatively limited extent of 

 country, whilst others are to be met with everywhere. All frequent woods and forests, from whence 

 they sally forth to find their food in the fields and valleys of the surrounding country. Hawks 

 seldom fly to any great altitude ; they move with great rapidity, altering their course at once with 

 the utmost facility, and passing in and out among the branches and bushes with the dexterity of a 

 Martin ; they run swiftly upon the ground, assisting their progress with their wings. Their eyrie is 

 .usually built upon high trees, and is by some species prettily decked with green twigs, which are 

 renewed from time to time. The eggs rre numerous, and during the period of incubation the parent 

 birds will fiercely attack even men should they attempt to molest the breod. Some few species have 

 been trained for hunting purposes, but these attempts have almost always proved unsuccessful. 



THE LAUCHING HAWK. 



The Laughing Hawk (Herpctotheres cachinnans) is a South American bird, to which we have 

 assigned the first place, inasmuch as in some respects it resembles the Falcons ; the name it bears 

 has been given to it on account of the very peculiar sound of its loud and resonant voice. Its 

 distinguishing characteristics are its comparatively large head, which is profusely covered with feathers, 

 and the robust development of the hinder parts of its body. The wings when closed reach to the 

 middle of the tail, their primaries are narrow and pointed, the third and fourth quills being longer than 

 the rest ; the tail is long, the exterior feathers somewhat shortened ; the tarsi are of moderate height 



vol. ii. — 40. 



