COLLECTION OF BIRDS. 33g 



honey-buzzard was sent us from Java by M. Les- 

 chenault. 



In the ninth case are the common falcon and 

 the jerfalcon (liiero falco), celebrated for their 

 docility, and the rapidity of their flight ; the first 

 of these has given its name to a peculiar art, that 

 of training these birds to pounce upon the game, 

 either in the air or on the ground, and bringing 

 it to their master. This sport was very much in 

 use during the middle ages. Both these birds in- 

 habit northern countries, and build their nests 

 upon rocks. 



In the same case we find the smallest of 

 the birds of prey, the falco ccerulescens from 

 Sumatra. 



The tenth case, which projects and forms a 

 separation in the gallery, contains the hobby- 

 falcon and the falco tinnunculus in its different 

 ages. And here terminates the diurnal birds of 

 prey, of which there are one hundred and twenty 

 species in the Museum. 



The eleventh and twelfth cases contain thirty- 

 four species of the nocturnal birds of prey : the 

 grand duke, the lesser duke, the ulula, the com- 

 mon owl, the little duke or scops ; all of them 

 inhabiting Europe. Amongst the foreign species 

 are the Cape owl, the great American owl, and the 

 owl with naked feet (strix leschcnaidtii y Tern.). 



