. The bird . to kill its prey at a blow, andscorns to torture it. These birds of prey, with their small brains, ofter a striking con-trast to the numerous amiable and plainly intelligent species whichwe find among the smaller birds. The head of the former is only abeak; that of the latter has a face. What comparison can be madebetween these brute giants and the intelligent, all-human bird, therobin redbreast, which at this very moment hovers about me, percheson my shoulder or my paper, examines my writing, warms himself at BIRDS OF PREY. 159 the fire, or curiously peers through the window to s
. The bird . to kill its prey at a blow, andscorns to torture it. These birds of prey, with their small brains, ofter a striking con-trast to the numerous amiable and plainly intelligent species whichwe find among the smaller birds. The head of the former is only abeak; that of the latter has a face. What comparison can be madebetween these brute giants and the intelligent, all-human bird, therobin redbreast, which at this very moment hovers about me, percheson my shoulder or my paper, examines my writing, warms himself at BIRDS OF PREY. 159 the fire, or curiously peers through the window to see if the spring-time will not soon return. If there be any choice among the raptores, I should certainly prefer—-dare I saythe eagle. Amonghave seen nothingposing, as our five(in the Jardin desgether like so manydomed with superbdelicate white down,mantles of gray,exiles, who seem toselves the vicissi-the political eventsthem from theirWhat real difter-the eagle and thepassionately lovesliving flesh, very. it?—the vulture tothe bird-world Iso gi-and, so im-Algerian vulturesPlantes), posted to-Turkish pachas, a-cravats of the mostand draped in nobleA solemn divan ofdiscuss among them-tudes of things andwhich have drivennative country,ence exists betweenvulture? The eagleblood, and prefersrarely eating the dead. The vulture seldom kills, and directly benefits life by restoringto its service and to the grand current of vital circulation the dis-organized objects which would associate with others to their dis-organization. The eagle lives upon murder only, and may justly beentitled the minister of Death. On the contrary, the vulture is theser^^ant of Life. Owing to his strength and beauty, the eagle has been adopted asan emblem by more than one warrior race which lived, like himself,by rapine. The Persians and the Romans chose liim. We now as-sociate him with the lofty ideas which these great empires people—even an Aristotle—have accredited the absurd fable
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookidbird00mi, booksubjectbirds
