. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. THE MISSISSIPPI KITE. 53 The very great proportionate length of its wngs may account for this habit; the entire length of the body and tail being only fourteen inches, while the expanse of wing equals three feet. Being possessed of such power of flight, it emulates the swallow-tailed falcon in many of its evolutions, and in a similar manner is fond of sweeping rapidly past a branch, and snatching from the leaves a choice locust or beetle without checking its progress. Like that bird it a
. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. THE MISSISSIPPI KITE. 53 The very great proportionate length of its wngs may account for this habit; the entire length of the body and tail being only fourteen inches, while the expanse of wing equals three feet. Being possessed of such power of flight, it emulates the swallow-tailed falcon in many of its evolutions, and in a similar manner is fond of sweeping rapidly past a branch, and snatching from the leaves a choice locust or beetle without checking its progress. Like that bird it also feeds while on tlu- wing, holding its prey in its claws and transferring it to its mouth without needing to settle. In character it seems to be a most tierce and courageous bird, as may be gathered from a short narrati\'e given by Wilson of one of these birds which he had shot. "This Hawk, though wounded and precipitated from a vast height, exhibited in his dis- tress symptoms of great strength, and an almost unconquerable spirit. I no sooner approached to pick him up, than he instantly gave battle, striking wdth his claws, wheeling round and. MISSISSIPPI KITE.—7c<j«ia mississippienm. SWALLOW-TAILED FALCON.—7V^a«fferm forjtcatue. round as he lay partly on his rump, and defending himself with gi-eat vigilance and dexterity, while his dark-red eye sparkled with rage. jSTotwithstanding all my caution in seizing him to carry him home, he stuck his hind claw into my hand with such force as to penetrate into the bone. Anxious to preserve his life, I endeavored gently to disengage it; but this made him only contract it the more powerfully, causing such pain that I had no alternative but that of cutting the sinew of his heel with my penknife. "Tlie whole time he lived with me, he seemed to watch every movement I made, erecting the feathers of his broad head, and eyeing me with savage fierceness ; considering me no doubt as the greater savage of the two. What effe
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
