THE EAGLE, KING OF BIRDS, AND HIS KIN 



63 



Photograph by George K. Stone 

 GAI,APAGOS HAWKS HAVE NEVER LEARNED THE EEAR OE MAN 



The wild life of these Ecuadoran islands has evolved in almost complete isolation, and as 

 a result has always been tame. The confidence which hawks have reposed in the human race 

 has often been abused, but for some reason they are still outstanding in their fearlessness. The 

 tree is a bursera, the small leaves of which are short-lived, leaving it bare most of the time. 

 Its bark exudes an aromatic scent when it is brushed. 



The eggs of this group are moderate in 

 size relative to the bulk of the parent, par- 

 ticularly when the larger species are con- 

 sidered. They have strong, heavy shells, 

 usually with roughly granular surface. 

 In some instances the eggs are plain white, 

 bluish white, or greenish white, but in most 

 there are markings of brown, which ap- 

 pear slaty where overlaid by a thin film 

 of the calcareous shell. 



The eggs of most falcons are heavily 

 spotted with reddish brown, being among 

 the most handsomely and richly marked 

 known. 



Many species exhibit considerable di- 

 versity in the extent and amount of mark- 

 ings, the eggs in some cases varying from 

 plain white without markings to those that 

 have the background completely obscured 

 by a heavy wash of warm color. 



