How to See the British Museum in Four Visits | Page 7

Morier; Zucchero's Queen
Elizabeth; Sir Peter Lely's Charles the Second; and the Queen of
George the Second by Jarvis. Having sufficiently examined these
works, the visitor should at once begin his inspection of the Raptores or
BIRDS OF PREY.
These include some splendid ornithological specimens. They are
divided into two families: those who pursue their depredations by day;
and those which wait till night cloaks their proceedings. It is almost
possible to read the special instincts of the two families in their
formation, and expression. The daring expressed in the fierce glances
of the eagles and falcons, bespeaks the fearless spoliator, in broad
daylight and in the face of an enemy; whereas the large vacant eyes of
the owls, have a cruel, coward look, that stamps the midnight assassin.
In the first case the visitor will notice the strongbearded vulture of the
Alpine and Himalayan mountains. The next six cases (2-7) are filled
with the varieties of the Vulture, including the American, carrion, black,
and king vultures; the South African sociable vulture; the angola
vulture from Congo; and, towering above all, the great condor of the
Andes, with his immense breadth of wing. The vultures, with their
fierce and cruel aspect, are, nevertheless, cowardly birds, and feed
rather upon dead bodies than venture to kill for themselves.
Next in order, after the vultures, the visitor will find the Eagle branch
of the falcon family distributed in ten cases (8-17). This family includes
some handsome birds. Foremost amongst these the visitor will remark
the athletic golden eagle of Europe, a frequenter of Great Britain. This
bird preys upon hares and rabbits, and has been known to plant its
claws in a young lamb with success. In this vicinity are also the Indian

Pondicherry eagle, sacred to the Brahmins; the Egyptian booted eagle;
the Brazilian eagle; the South American harpy eagle; the European Jean
le Blanc eagle; the marine eagle of the Indian Archipelago; the South
American crested goshawk; the varieties of the osprey; and the
short-tailed falcon from the Cape of Good Hope. Next after the eagles,
are ranged the Kites and Buzzards (18-24). These include the South
American caracaras; the European rough-legged falcon; the European
kite; the Indian colny falcon; varieties of the honey buzzard; and the
North American spotted-tailed hobby. The true falcons follow next in
order of succession (24-26). The courage of these birds is familiar to all
who have read of the hunting days of old. In the cases before the visitor,
are grouped the European hobby and kestrel, and the peregrine and jet
falcons. Many visitors from the country will be familiar with some of
the sparrow-hawks in the next case (27). They may be often seen
sweeping swiftly along near the earth, intent upon their prey. The last
cases of diurnal birds of prey (28-30) contain the Harriers. These are
birds of prey that meet their victims on the ground, and frequent
bog-lands. The specimens here presented, include the secretary of the
Cape of Good Hope; the chanting falcon from the same region; the
ash-coloured falcon, hen-harrier, and Madagascar falcon.
And now, proceeding on his easterly way, the visitor approaches the
Birds that Prey by Night. They are solemnly assembled in five cases.
Their reputed wisdom has its parallel in the human family: we also
have our owls, with their large eyes and solemn demeanour, who cheat
people into the idea that there must be something in all that solemnity
and gravity of expression. Poets of the dismal school, however, owe a
great debt of gratitude to these mysterious and unsociable birds. The
visitor will at once call to mind the usual sequel of poems that open
with the hooting of the owl, or with the intimation that it is the hour
when the wise bird opens his eyes with some effect. Let us glance at the
varieties of the dismal family before which we have brought the visitor.
Here are the snowy owl of North America and the hawk owls. In the
cases (32, 33) are grouped the eagle owls, including the great-eared
owls, and the North American Virginian eared owl. The next two cases
contain the howlets, including the Tengmalm's owl of the north of
Europe; the Javan bay owl, and the barn white owls of various
countries. These birds close the collection of birds of prey; and the

visitor, refraining from the temptation to inspect the central tables, for
the present, should advance into the room, the wall-cases of which are
filled with
PERCHING BIRDS.
The perching birds are subdivided into five families: the Wide-gaping;
the Slender-Beaked; the Toothed-Beaked; the Cone-Beaked; and the
Climbers, or Scansores. The family of wide-gaping birds, is that ranged
first in order, occupying cases 36 to 42. The visitor will first remark the
goatsuckers with their wide bills and