55 





THE 



SECOND BOOK 

 ORNITHOLOGY 



OF 



. £ . , _ 



Of Land-Fowl. 



The First Part. 



Offuch as have hooded Beaks andTalons. 



'.The First Section. 



Of Rapacious Viurnal 'Birds. 



Chap. I. 

 Of 'Birds of prey in general, eftecially Diurnal ones. 



? HE Chara&eriftic notes of Rapacious Birds in general are 

 thefe : To have a great head 3 a Jhort mck. 5 hooked, firong and 

 fharp-pointed Beak, and Talons, fitted for ravine and tearing of 

 flefh : Strong and brawny thighs, for (biking down their prey : 

 a broad, thick,, flefhy tongue, like a mans 3 twilve feathers in their 

 train ifour and twenty flag feathers [ remiges penna* ] in each 

 wing-^ [The number of thefe feathers can hardly be counted 

 exactly, and doth ( I believe ) vary in thefe Birds, the greater 

 kinds having more, the lelTer fewer. ] The two Appendices or 

 blind guts very port, fo that they feem to be of no ufe to them, at leaft when grown 

 up : A membranous fiomach,not a mufculous one,or Gizzard,like granivorous Birds : To be 

 very fiarp-fighted, fbrfpying out their prey at adiftance, tf/be folitary, net gregarious, 

 by a lingular providence of nature : For fhould they, coming in flocks, joyntly fet 

 upon Cartel, the flocks and herds of fheep and beafts would fcarce be fecure from 

 their violence and injuries. This note is not <sommon to all Rapacious birds in ge- 

 neral, though Arifiotle hath delivered for an univerfal obfervation, Tcc^ml^v v$t> 

 aytXciiov, i. e. No Birds of prey are gregarious. For Vultures, (zsBel/onius hath obfer- 

 ved ) fly in company fifty or fixty together : To be deep-feathered. The feathers in- 

 verting their bodies if they be not thicker fet, are at leaft idler or longer than in other 

 birds, (b that their bodies feem to be much greater tlia^hdeed they arei This note 

 is common to all Rapacious birds, but not proper tothem alone. To be long-hued, 

 and as is commonly thought, more than other birds, whereof being not yet fully fa- 

 tisfied, I will not ralhly affirm any thing, but leave the matter to be determined by 

 experience and diligent obfervation. Btftr-certain it is, (as we have before demon- 

 ftrated) that all Birds in general, account being had of their bignefs, are" ve^y long- 

 lived. To endure hunger {ox. abide without food ) a long time, which considering their 

 food and manner of living is almoft necefiary 5 feeing their prey is not always ready 

 for them. The Females are of greater 'fee, more beautiful land 'lovely for Ji bape and 



colours^ 



