NATURAL HISTORY. 8; 
very much in refpeét to colours and dimenfions, yet 
they are all eafily diftinguifhed by their naked heads, 
and beaks partly flraight and bein hooked. | 
In this clafs arealfo tobe ranged, the golden, ath - 
- coloured, and brown vultures, natives of Europe; 
the fpotted and black vultures, of Egypt; the Bra- 
zillian, and the bearded vultures. 
‘ 
—SoPENEMEMCOH4—- 
FALCON. 
Tue dignified fport of falconry, which formerly. 
diftinguifhed the recreation of the Englith nobility 
has been long difcontinued, A perfon of rank fcarcely 
ever appeared without his falcon, which, in old 
' paintings, are the criterion of titular diftinction. Har- 
old, afterwards king of England, was painted with a 
falcon on his hand, and a dog. under his arm, when he 
was going on an important embafly. To winda horn, 
and carry a falcon with grace, were then marks of 
being well bred. Learning was left for the ftudy 
of children, bornina more humble fphere. ~ 
In the reing of James 1, Sir Thomas Monfon gave 
one thoufand pounds for a caft of hawks. An -un- 
qualified perfon, taking the eggs of a hawk, even up- 
on his own ground, was fined and imprifoned, at the 
pleafure of the king. Edward III, made it felony to 
fteal'a hawk. 
The generous hawk is diftingwifhed from the bafer 
race of kites, fparrow hawks, and buzzards, by the 
fecond feather, which in this kind is the longeft; 
whereas, in the other kinds, the fourth feather is the 
_ longeft. ‘They alfo poffefs natural powers of which 
' the other race are deftitute. They purfue their game 
with more {wiftnefs and confidence, and, from their 
generofity of temper, they are fo attached to their 
feeders, as to become very tractable. 
The hawk or falcon purfues the, heron, kite, and 
woodlark, by flying perpendicularly upward, which 
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