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On the Ornithology of Wilts. 



violence with their formidable talons, as generally at one blow to 

 disable their prey. It is invariably the claw of the hind toe, by 

 which this severe stroke is effected, and for this purpose the beak is 

 never used at all, though many people have erroneous impressions 

 to the contrary. Rushing down with the velocity of lightning, 

 and with closed pinions, the falcon makes its deadly swoop from 

 above on the selected prey, and striking with the hind toe, in 

 darting past, inflicts the deadly wound, in a most masterly manner, 

 seldom missing its aim, or failing in the stroke; sometimes, too, 

 the back of the unfortunate victim is seen to be deeply scored 

 throughout its whole length, while not unfrequently the skull is 

 completely riven, and the brains dashed out by the amazing impetus 

 of the blow: but should the aim be by some mischance incorrect, 

 then rising again and sailing round in circles, and so getting higher 

 and higher at every turn, the falcon again prepares for a charge; 

 while the unhappy bird whose life is so endangered seems instinct- 

 ively to know wherein its best chance of escape lay, and perceiving 

 that an attack can only be made from above, soars as high as its 

 strength enables it; seldom, however, does the manoeuvre succeed, 

 and the second swoop of the aggressor rarely fails to send the quarry 

 headlong and lifeless to the ground. For inflicting such a wound, 

 no more perfect instrument can be conceived than the falcon's foot, 

 so strong, hard, and muscular; with claws so sharp, powerful, and 

 curved: with these weapons they can not only provide themselves 

 food, but with the same instruments can grasp and carry it off to 

 their eyries, though it be of considerable weight ; the nature of the 

 prey too so obtained and borne away varies not a little, according 

 to the genera comprising this extensive family; fish, flesh, and 

 fowl are all attacked by these rapacious birds: the eagles can master 

 a full-sized hare or a lamb; the osprey will plunge into the river, 

 and emerge again with a quivering salmon firmly clutched in its 

 talons; the true falcons, the hawks, the buzzards, and the harriers, 

 content themselves with the smaller birds and quadrupeds, and some 

 species vary their diet with reptiles; but they all seize and bear 

 off their prey with their feet. The third and last family of the 

 "Raptores" — viz., the owls, hunting in the dusk of evening, and the 



