% 
BRITISH BIRDS* 
which they drive from the neft at a very early 
period; the difficulty of procuring a conftant fup- 
ply of food for them fometimes overcomes the 
feelings of parental affedtion ; and they have been 
known to deftroy them in the fury of difappointed 
hunger. Different from all other kinds, the fe- 
male of birds of prey is larger and ftronger than 
the male : naturaliils have puzzled themfelves to 
siffign the reafon of this extraordinary property, 
but the final caufe at leaf! is obvious : — The care 
of rearing her young being folely intrufted to the 
female, nature has furnifhed her with more ample 
powers to provide for her own wants and thofe 
of her offspring. 
This formidable tribe confiitutes the firft order 
among the genera of birds. Thofe of our own 
country confift only of two kinds, viz. the Falcon 
and the Owl. — We fliall begin with the former. 
THE FALCON TRIBE. 
The numerous families of which this kind is 
compofed, are found in almoft every part of the 
world, from the frigid to the torrid zone ; they 
are divided into various claffes or tribes, confift- 
ing of Eagles, Kites, Buzzards, Hawks, &c. and 
are readily known by the following diftinguiftiing 
chara&eriftics : 
The bill is ftrong, fharp, and much hooked, and 
is furnilhed with a naked Ikin or cere fituated at 
