10 
POPULAR HISTORY OF BIEDS. 
Birds of Prey and Nocturnal; the former^ as the name 
implies^ pursuing their prey by day^ the latter for the most 
part by night. 
The Diurnal Birds of Frey have the eyes placed on the 
side of the head. The head and neck are well proportioned. 
There are three toes in fronts the outer being generally 
connected to the middle toe by a short membrane. 
The birds of this group are divided into two great families^ 
VuLTURiD^ and Palconid^e. 
The family Yulturid^ contains birds for the most part 
inhabiting the warmer parts of the worlds and furnished 
with a smallish head and a long neck^ which in most of the 
species are free from feathers ; the eye is even with the head^ 
a character which gives the vultures a tame look^ compared 
with the birds of the next family. The tarsi are covered 
with small scales ; the beak is lengthened^ and is more used 
in procuring the prey than their talons^ which are compara- 
tively weak. The wings are very long, so that most of the 
species are powerful in flight, and can soar to great heights. 
The sight is peculiarly keen, and is supposed to be the chief 
sense employed in leading them to their prey, though it is 
also evident that their nostrils are good guides. Their food 
consists chiefly of carrion, the birds themselves not being 
