. The cyclopædia of anatomy and physiology. Anatomy; Physiology; Zoology. Legs, robust, Fig. 113. short, with three toes before, and one behind ; all armed with long, strong, crooked talons. Fig. 113. All the Birds of Prey feed on the flesh of living or recently killed animals. They have a prompt, powerful, and rapid flight. They are mono- gamous ; the female exceeds the male in size. They nidificate in lofty situations and rarely lay more than four eggs: the young are ex- cluded in a blind and feeble state. The Birds of Prey are either diurnal or noc- turnal. The Diurnal Raptores have their e
. The cyclopædia of anatomy and physiology. Anatomy; Physiology; Zoology. Legs, robust, Fig. 113. short, with three toes before, and one behind ; all armed with long, strong, crooked talons. Fig. 113. All the Birds of Prey feed on the flesh of living or recently killed animals. They have a prompt, powerful, and rapid flight. They are mono- gamous ; the female exceeds the male in size. They nidificate in lofty situations and rarely lay more than four eggs: the young are ex- cluded in a blind and feeble state. The Birds of Prey are either diurnal or noc- turnal. The Diurnal Raptores have their eyes di- rected laterally, and are divided into the fol- lowing families—Falconidte, Eagles and Hawks; Vulturidte, Vultures; and Gypogeranida:,v!hich includes the ' 'cretary vulture. In the first two divisions the characters of the order are most strongly marked ; in the third the legs deviate from the ordinal character and are remarkably elongated, adapting it to an inferior kind of prey, viz. noxious reptiles, serpents, &c. The Nocturnal K«/j£weshavetheeyesdirected forwards, and include the Strigidic or owl-tribe. Order II. INSESSORES. Legs slender, short, with three toes before and one behind, the two external toes united by a very short membrane.* The Perchers form by far the most nume- rous order of birds, but are the least easily recognizable by distinctive characters common to the whole group. Their feet, being more especially adapted to the delicate labours of nidification, have neither the webbed struc- ture of those of the Swimmers, nor the robust strength and destructive talons which characterise the feet of the Bird of Rapine, nor yet the extended toes which enable the Wader to walk safely over marshy soils and tread lightly on the float- ing leaves of aquatic plants; but the toes are slender, flexible, and moderately elongated with long, pointed and slightly curved claws. (fig. ii4j The perchers in general have the females smaller and less brilliant in thei
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