ADAPTATION OF STRUCTURE TO HABITS. 
229 
less compactly knit together, and lighter than that 
of the above; it is thickly clothed with the softest 
feathers, almost woolly in their texture; the wings are 
broad, round, and well adapted for gliding; the pinion- 
feathers are weak, though elastic, on their outer edge, 
which cuts the air; the rays of the feathers are each 
separate one from the other, standing out in isolated 
points. The toes are feathered as well as the tarsi, but 
from under these soft feathers peer the longest and 
sharpest of nails, which readily clutch the smallest prey. 
The head is very singularly constructed, the eyes and ears 
occupying almost the whole of it. The first are very 
large and flat, being thus well adapted for keen sight at 
short distances; the last we have already described; 
they indeed resemble membranous shells, and are com¬ 
paratively larger than those of any other animal; they 
are still further supported by the long, stiff, radiate 
feathers which surround them; the beak is sufficiently 
powerful for the work it has to do. Thus gifted, the 
Owl is particularly well calculated to seek its prey, in 
the darkest night, by aid of eye and ear, and pounce 
suddenly upon it, gliding up unseen and unheard. 
Both Falcons and Owls seize their comparatively large 
prey with their claws alone ; another group of the pre¬ 
datory fraternity do so with the beak: I allude to the 
Swallow tribe in general. Their claws differ widely from 
those of the true Raptores; a close inspection of the feet. 
of the most highly developed member of that family, 
the Swift, plainly shows this. Its body bears a certain 
resemblance to that of the Falcon; the plumage is, 
however, much closer and harder; the wings are quite 
differently formed and developed from those of the above- 
mentioned bird; attached to the exceedingly short, 
