CHAPTER IX 
BIRDS OF PREY AND O/FLS 
BIRDS OF PREY 
T one time the boundaries of this group were much larger 
than now, for within them were included at least one 
form which has since proved to belong to the Crane 
Tribe: we allude to the Seriema (page 428), 
and also tothe Owls. This classification was 
based on the very remarkable superficial 
resemblance to the typical birds of prey 
which those forms bear. Modern ornitho- 
logists regard as birds of prey only the 
forms known as the New World Vultures, 
the Secretary-bird, and the Falcons, Eagles, 
Vultures, Buzzards, and the numerous smaller 
forms commonly classed as ‘t Hawks.” 
Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.J [Parson's Green 
CONDOR 
The habit of standing with the wings expanded is a very 
common one with these birds 
THE NEW WORLD VULTURES 
These may be distinguished from 
their distant relatives of the Old World 
by the fact that the nostrils are not 
divided from one another by a partition, 
and by their much weaker feet. The 
head and neck in all, as in the true 
vultures, is more or less bare, and, 
furthermore, is often very brilliantly 
coloured, in which last particular these 
birds differ from the typical vultures. 
One of the most important members 
of the group is the CONDOR, one of the 
largest of flying birds, and when on 
the wing the most majestic. ‘* When the 
condors,” says Darwin, “ are wheeling in 
a flock round and round any spot, their 
flight is beautiful. Except when rising 
off the ground, I do not recollect ever 
having seen one of these birds flap its 
Photo by HW. P, Dando, F.Z.8. 
wings. Near Lima I watched several for : honk alte 
I half | tl ; ; The bare skin of the head and neck is of a dark purple colour, the ruff en- 
nearly half an hour, without once taking circling the neck being of pure white down-feathers 
74 
