DIYISIOXS OK BIRDS. 



305 



of other animals, which tliey either kill for themselves or find dead, 

 and their flight is generally extremely rapid and powerfnl. They 

 are not polygamous, and the female is larger than the male. They 

 usually build their nest in lofty and inaccessible situations, and sel- 

 dom lay more than four eggs. The young ai-e hatched in a naked 

 and helpless condition. 



The Raptores are divided into two sections — the Kocturnal Birds 



Fia. 21s.-n!L|,tnres. A, Fiiot of Pclvgriiie Falcon; B, Ili'ail .jf Diizzaril. 



of Prey, which hunt at night, and the Diurnal Birds of Prey, which 

 hunt by day. In the former section is only the single family of the 

 Owls {Strigid(e), in which the eyes are large, and are directed foi'- 

 wards (fig. 219), whilst the plumage is exceedingly soft ami loose, so 

 as to render their flight almost noiseless. The Owls, for the most 



i; A 



Fi''. 219.— A, Foot of Tawny I )wl ; B, lhj:i(\ of Wliite 0«i. 



part, hunt their pr-ey in the twilight oi- on moonlight nights, and they 

 live mostly upon tield-mice and small bird.s, but they will also eat 

 insects and frogs. In the section of the diurnal Eaptores are the 

 Falcons and Hawks, the Eagles and the Vultures. In all these the 

 eyes are smaller than in the (_)\vls, and are placed laterally, and the 

 plumage is not soft. They usually possess extiaordinary powers of 



