A Familiar History of Birds: Their Nature, Habits, and Instincts, Volumes 1-2John W. Parker, 1835 - Birds |
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America amongst animals appear approach attack Barn-Owls beak Bearded Vulture bill bird-lime bird's birds of prey body bones cage called carried Carrion Crow catching chiefly claws colour considerable Crow Cuckoo dart dead devour distance Ducks Eagle eggs escape extraordinary eyes Falcon favourite feathers feed feet Fieldfare fish flight flying frequently Gannet gastric juice Genus gizzard ground gullet habits Hawk head height Heron Hornbill insects instance instinctive island Jackdaw Jays killed known length live Magpie mandible mice miles mode natural naturalist nearly nest never observed occasionally Owls Passerine Passerine Order peculiar perch Pigeons placed plumage pounce prey Raven remarkable resemblance rock rookery Rooks scarcely Scotland season seen seize short Shrike singular small birds soon sort Sparrow species spot stomach supposed Swallow Table tail Thrush toes tree tribe usually Vulture Waders watch wild wings yards young birds
Popular passages
Page 220 - Many were the attempts of the neighbouring youths to get at this eyry: the difficulty whetted their inclinations, and each was ambitious of surmounting the arduous task. But when they arrived at the swelling, it jutted out so in their way, and was so far beyond their grasp, that the most daring lads were awed, and acknowledged the undertaking to be too hazardous. So the ravens built on, nest upon nest, in perfect security, till the fatal day arrived in which the wood was to be levelled.
Page 219 - God: 8 who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. 9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
Page 129 - In the midst of his harangue, an Eagle was observed suspended as it were in the air directly over his head ; upon which, pointing aloft with his dagger, which glistened brightly in the sun, he called upon the royal bird to come down. To his own amazement, no less than to the consternation of the surrounding Indians, the Eagle seemed to obey the charm, for instantly shooting down with the velocity of an arrow, it impaled itself on the point of his weapon.
Page 190 - All small birds have an antipathy to the shrike, betray anger, and utter the moan of danger when it approaches their nests. I have often heard this signal of distress, and cautiously approaching to learn the cause, have frequently found that this butcher-bird occasioned it. They will mob, attack, and drive it away, as they do the owl, as if fully acquainted with its plundering propensities.
Page 128 - The upper part of the head was broken in, and the back torn by the talons of the eagle. We had plainly seen her bearing it in the manner of the fishhawk.
Page 96 - They fly very near the surface of the water ; and if a boat meet a flock of them transversely, they rise a few feet over it ; if directly, it divides them like a wedge. Their flight is remarkably silent; and though so numerous and so close, the whirr of their wings is scarcely ever heard. They are so abundant in this particular spot, that I have reckoned fifteen large flocks in my passage from Pera to Therapia.
Page 254 - ARITHMETIC TAUGHT BY QUESTIONS. The principal novelty of this Arithmetic consists in the QUESTIONS, by which the learner may be enabled to examine and teach himself. At the same time, it is thought that many Teachers may profit by the facilities which the questioning affords, and learn to ground those whom they have been in the habit of teaching by rote. The Rules have been stated in short and easy sentences, and more than ordinary care has been taken to show the manner of the several operations....