144 
THE WILSON BULLETIN— September, 1922 
a Hawk, let the same creature fluff out after a satisfying meal, 
when the soft edges of a fluffy crest, before compressed, and the 
assumption of an easy attitude of body, immediately ameliorate 
the fierceness of the eve, and the bird seems a different crea- 
ture. Similarly, though to a greater degree, may a sick hawk 
become in all senses of the word, sad and pitiable, though the 
attractive beauty of the normal expression may return for fleet- 
ing instants. The fact that many caged or zoo birds are not in 
good health is sufficient warning that the artist must avoid 
using them as models, if he is to catch the living expression of 
the wild bird. Better a fleeting glimpse of the true, wild face, 
than hours of study of the average unfortunate captive, who has 
lost all joy of life, and every hope of freedom. 
Legend and sketch alike portray the Hawks as fiercest of 
birds; but to the contrary, within the scope of the writer’s mem- 
ory, there does not dwell the semblance of a sweeter bird face 
than that of of a downy nestling Hough-legged Hawk, which, 
resting in his nest, far above a Labrador river, had no reason to 
fear such an oncomer whom he had never known. Surely even 
to the least imaginative, the attractive face of that little hawk 
could but win sympathy and affection, though it will be readily 
admitted that the parent birds as they swooped about with 
clear screams were exponents of typical liawkdom in every 
sense of the word. 
The Turkey Vulture offers an interesting case of lack of 
positive facial cl aracteristics, though no one could of course 
mistake a Yultuie’s face for that of any other bird. But there 
is scarcely anything to suggest fierceness, fear, offensiveness, or 
even intelligence in any marked degree. The case in hand brings 
to its proper place in importance the influence of the crest, and 
other head feathers in the facial expression. Remove the feath- 
ers entirely from any bird’s head, and it is rather startling that 
the eye seems to lose all its former importance as a factor. How- 
ever, that there is a marked difference in the expressions of 
similarly headed birds, such as the Wild Turkey and Turkey 
Vulture, goes without saying, and it will be observed that the 
bill, nostrils, and color and lustre of the eye are all important 
factors. 
Plates of birds often give the impression that a bird’s eyes 
are perfectly round, and though this is actually sometimes the 
case, it is very unusually so, and quite the exception to the 
rule. Similarly, in mounted specimens one may often discover 
