BIRDS OF PREY. 
Rapacious birds seem to occupy among the feathered 
race, the same situation as the carnivorous order among 
the quadrupeds. All obtain their subsistence from the 
animal kingdom, and most of them live essentially on 
flesh. Some, dastardly and indolent by nature, as well 
as unprovided with the means of seizing prey, live on 
carrion and garbage, and act the useful part of scaven- 
gers in ridding the earth of such offensive matters. Oth- 
ers boldly or insidiously attack living animals, quadru- 
peds or birds. Some again there are, that subsist almost 
wholly on fish and reptiles ; and a few of small size are 
contented with crustaceous-winged insects. Less attach- 
ed to the earth than other birds, they traverse the aerial 
regions with a rapid flight, and often disappear from 
view in the ambient space, from whence, ever watchful 
and keen of sight, they survey the wide landscape and 
mark out their distant quarry. Some peculiarities of their 
skeleton are in accordance with the power of their 
wings ; thus the sternum is broad and completely ossified 
in order to give more extensive insertion to the muscles. 
The fourchette also, semicircular and widely separated, 
serves effectually to resist the violent motions of the hu- 
merus in the act of rapid flying. Endowed with such 
powerful means of flight, and natural weapons of destruc- 
tion, they are justly the terror of all other birds. Wan- 
