The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-11-12
WONDERFUL EYESIGHT.
Optical Power of the Bird of Prey a
Marvellous Thing

1t is contended that the eve of the
bird of prey is the most perfect organ
Of sight that exists. Most marvellous
of all is the sight that enables the owl
to strike the mouse in the darkness or
to pursue aud capture the bat, which
we can scarcely see even in the early
twilight.
The talons Of certain of the larger
birds Of prey are extremely strong. The
feet OF the osprey make an excellent
fish trap, one from which no fish can
escape when once caught.
The great curved talons Of the eagle
are most effective, and are certainly
stronger than those of all other birds.
When they once close on an object the
clutch is 50 tight that it can scarcely
he loosened unless the bird Is leg be
severed. The strong claws are not only
used iii catching food, but are used
also IN carrying nesting material.
If, instead OF catching its prey, Il
species of bird is accustomed to feed
On carrion, this change is clearly re-
| ilected III the weaker muscles of the
feet and III the shorter and duller claws.
| Many persons have thought that buz-
yards have an unusual, sense of smell
that guides them over miles of territory
| in search Of food, but MANY years ago it
was proved that sight is the principal
| factor in guiding the bird OF prey.
| Audubon made careful experiments
with q black vulture. The dry. stuffed
| skin Of deer which he placed out in
4 ~ 1all I
| though there was no smell of flesh and
nothing eatablc about it, the bird lit
and began Juggling at the dry skin.
Later. when tile same bird circled over
| the field II eSpied a small snake not
thicker than man s finger and pounced
upon it.
In another ease the decaved carcass
of a hog was covered with brush so that
it was invisible. 1t remained ndis-
| covered by the vultures that frequently
passed over the place by accident, all
though the stencil was very strong
The sparrow hawk is perhaps the best
known of our birds of prey, as it ranged
through the entire country. Contrary
10 what the name might signify, the
bird lived almost exclusively on insects,
except where such food is difficult to
obtain.
Upon the treeless plains and hills
throughout the West il is a common
sight TO see these little falcons beating
along over the waste, frequently swerS-
ing upward III flight and coming to a
dead stop, as they hang suspended in
the air with rapid wing beats, looking
for prey. In localities where grasshop-
pers are abundant, these hawks will con.
gregate and gorge themselves contin-
uallv.
The red-tailed hawk is often called
the chicken hawk, but it does not de
serve the name. Many of the hawks
bear undesevcd regulations.
In regions and III seasons when animaI
, and insect food IS scarce, the red-tailed
hawk will catch chickens and game
, birds, but 1t lives mostly on mice and
shrews as we'll as frogs, snakes lizards
and insects of various kinds. In &
: prairie and billy country, almost it.
entire food IS squirrels, 9ophers, meadow
mice and rabbits.
A fish, as seen by one looking dow
into the water from above, is very de
ceptiye owing to the refracted light
When the fish seems to be foot unde
{ the surface it is often in reality three
: or four feet beneath. But the osprey
!. lowering over OIL poised wing, drops Xix
< a plummet, often completely disappear
! ing below the surface, and in spite 0
the rapidity with which fish can NOV
I this bird is generally successful in ear
: turing it.
d In the mountainous regions one ma
:. occasionally see the golden eagle hus
: Ting for its prey. During one summe
d a party made several visits to the aeri
of one of these big birds and found tina
9 a very large proportion of the eagle
s. food supply consisted of ground squil
lie refs with an occasional rabbit and quai
o On one trip they found the bodies c
e. four ground squirrels lying on the Ri
s. Of the nest.
e. The hills in many places were peri,
a rated with the burrows of the groun
squirrels, and the eagles seemed to hay
regular watch towers on the high rocl
le- from which they swooped down ON the
81 quarry. If it We're not for the birds
ed prey about these hillv districts tt
er places would soon be overrun with harm
IT full rodents.
j. As a family the owls are among Il
most beneficial of all birds from ii
in economic standpoint of the agricultu
re list. With few exceptions the owls a
to nocturnal. Their eyes and ears are T
markedly developed and are keenest