Birps oF Prey. 161 
that a hawk will kill a thrush, and so condemn it; 
but the thrush that eats an earthworm goes scot-free. 
Of course in this, as in all else, man is very incon- 
sistent; but when we simply see the hawk hovering 
above an uncared-for mouse, or mark the eagle as 
he flies directly towards the sun, or follow the ma- 
nceuvres of falcons that chase each other until above 
the clouds, and swooping earthward with lightning 
speed, just clear the ground and rise with fixed pinions 
to the upper air, we are so filled with honest admiration 
that the so-called bad qualities are quite overlooked. 
Birds of prey may be low in the scale of the system- 
atist, but forever they will remain the birds of birds. 
There are three groups into which this class is 
divided, and we all recognize the differences at a 
glance: the Vultures, the Falcons, and the Owls. 
Vultures, while in a sense birds of prey, are car- 
rion-feeders, and this feature, while it makes them 
repulsive, at the same time causes their usefulness to 
be recognized, and many of them are almost domesti- 
cated, living in our towns and giving as little heed to 
the people about them as do our poultry. Being 
unmolested, they are tame, and that might be applied 
to a great many other birds,—that is, it is possible 
to have many birds now exceedingly wild become 
equally tame, equally familiar. I have experimented 
in this direction for so many years that I am positive 
the assertion is warranted. Birds, as a class, it must 
be remembered, are very intelligent. They carefully 
study the status of affairs, and learn to discriminate 
between friends and foes. Make a place safe for 
birds and the birds will find it out and occupy it. 
Z 14* : 
