HAWKS AND EAGLES. 359 



may be gathered. The Burrowing Owls frequently occupy 

 the villages of the marmots, whose deserted holes they use, 

 instead of digging others for themselves. They are abroad 

 during the day, and apparently feed chiefly on insects. " They 

 manifest but little timidity, and allow themselves to be ap- 

 proached sufficiently close for shooting ; but if alarmed, some or 

 all of them soar away, and settle down again at a short distance ; 

 if further disturbed, their flight is continued until they are no 

 longer in view, or they descend into their dwellings, whence 

 they are difficult to dislodge." 



d. "The note of our bird is strikingly similar to the 

 cry of the marmot, which sounds like cheh, cheh, pronounced 

 several times in rapid succession ; . . . this cry is only uttered 

 as the bird begins its flight." 



§ 27. The PALCONID^ are the typical Raptores, charac- 

 terized by not having the ear-tufts, forward-looking eyes, and 

 concealed nostrils of the Owls, or the naked head, elevated hind 

 toe, and slightly webbed front toes of our Vultures ( Cathar- 

 tidcB, § 28). " The eyes, as a rule (but not always), are sunken 

 beneath a projecting superciliary shelf, conferring a decided 

 and threatening gaze." The tarsus is either naked or feath- 

 ered, but the feathers above it are long and flowing (with 

 certain exceptions, as in the Fish-hawks). 



The Hawks and Eagles are essentially diurnal birds of prey, 

 not usually feeding on carrion. Some nest on cliffs, some on 

 the ground, and others in the hollows of trees ; but most of 

 them build nests in trees, chiefly of sticks. The eggs of each 

 set are from two to six, and are laid early in the season. 

 They are rarely subspherical like Owls' eggs, but are for the 

 most part whitish, and generally blotched. 



In this family there are several distinct groups. 



The Harriers (Genus I). Face with a slight ruff, forming 

 an imperfect disk (such as belongs to the Owls). Flight 

 usually low, somewhat irregular, but not rapid. JVest huilt 

 on the ground. Our species is characterized by white upper 

 tail-coverts. 



The Falcons (II). Upper mandible with a distinct pointed 



