THE BIRDS 219 
a rude platform of twigs, and in the care of the young 
both parents have a share. The young at hatching are 
blind, naked, and perfectly helpless, and are fed masticated 
food from the crops of the parents until able to subsist on 
fruits and seeds. 
206. Eagles, hawks, owls, etc. (Raptores).—The birds of 
prey, all of which belong to this order, are carnivorous, 
often of large size and great strength, and are widely dis- 
tributed throughout this country. The vultures live on 
carrion, some of the small hawks and owls on insects, while 
the majority capture small birds and mammals by the aid of 
powerful talons, In every case the beak is hooked, and the 
perfection of the organs of sight and hearing is unequaled 
by any other animal, man included. They live in pairs, 
and in many species mate for life. As a rule, the female 
incubates the eggs, and the male assists in collecting 
food. 
Among the vultures, the turkey-buzzard (Cathartes aura) 
is most abundant throughout the United States, especially 
in the warmer portions, where it plays an important part 
asa scavenger. Of the several species of hawks, the white- 
rumped marsh-hawk (Circus hudsonius), the red-tailed 
hawk (Buteo borealis), the red-shouldered hawk (Buteo 
lineatus), and above all the bold though diminutive spar- 
row-hawk (Falco sparverius) are the most abundant and 
familiar. In the more unsettled regions live the golden 
eagle (Aguila chrysaetus) and bald eagle (Haliaetus leuco- 
cephalus). The owls are nocturnal, and not so often seen 
as the other birds of prey, yet the handsome and fierce 
barn or monkey-faced owl (Strix pratincola), and the larger 
species, such as the great gray owl (Scotiaptex cinereua), 
and the beautiful snowy owl (Nyctea nyctea), are more or 
less common, and occasionally seen. Much more abundant 
is the little screech-owl (Megascops asio), and in the West- 
ern States the burrowing-owl (Speotyto cunicularia), which 
lives in the burrows of the ground-squirrels and prairie- 
