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 eye, and the bird seems a different crea- 
ture. Similarly, though to a greater degree, may a sick hawk 
become in all senses of the Avord, 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 healtli is snflicient Avarning that the artist must avoid 
using them as models, if he is to catch the living expression of 
the Avild bird. Better a fleeting glimpse of the trne, Avild face, 
than hours of study of the average unfortunate captive, Avho has 
lost all joy of life, and every hope of freedom. 
Legend and sketch alike portray the Hawks as fiercest of 
birds ; bnt to the contrary, Avithin the scope of the Avriter’s mem- 
ory, there does not dAvell the semblance of a SAveeter bird face 
than that of of a doAvny nestling Eongh-legged HaAvk, Avhich, 
resting in his nest, far above a Labrador river, had no reason to 
fear such an oncomer Avhom he had never known. Surely even 
to the least imaginative, the attractive face of that little hawk 
could but Avin sympathy and affection, though it Avill be readily 
admitted that the parent birds as they SAVooped about Avith 
clear screams Avere exponents of typical liaAvkdom in every 
sense of the Avord. 
The Turkey Vulture offers an interesting case of lack of 
positive facial cl aracteristics, thongh no one could of course 
mistake a Vultme’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. Beniove 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. Hoav- 
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 eA^e 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 
