The Goal of the Wise

An illustration at the top of the page features two large birds of prey perched on a green ground. On the left is a dark, vulture-like bird labeled "vulturm &"; on the right is a lighter, mottled bird of prey labeled "ossifraga" osprey or lammergeier.

In the left margin, there is a vertical arrangement of seven small, naturalistically painted birds in various poses: some are perching, some standing, and one appears to be a waterfowl on a small patch of water.

of vultures and

...or the remains from which they feed, and such are the genera of vultures and ossifraga osprey or lammergeier and those similar to them. Others feed on the carcasses of dead animals, remnants, and other things which they seize, such as the genus of kites and certain genera of common eagles common which feed only on the flesh they catch themselves, and nothing of the flesh of carcasses or remnants, such as the genera of falcons and hawks and other birds of prey similar to them.

of vultures and

On the diversity of the habits of others which terrestrial birds use. Other genera are those which follow, such as hawks and birds that are half-aquatic, and where, etc. carnivores

Therefore, the ways in which terrestrial birds go out from their dwellings to feed are not the same order in all terrestrial birds as they are in all aquatic birds which go out to feed. However, some are determined for terrestrial birds, and for others—

They do not have determined hours for going out to forage, [this is true for] almost all those which are of moderate flight, such as the aforementioned manner of starlings, pheasants, finches, and others which are of moderate flight, [as well as] the manner of pigeons, which go out in the morning before the rising of the sun and stand in pastures without—

—until before [reaching] the earth, and then they return to their fruitful and complete dwellings. For those which are of moderate flight for indeed, [because] it was of moderate flight and [they are] birds of prey are of moderate flight, [and] are pleased to snatch them to lengthen their falls and for the quality of their meat and then there are places during the day outside—[they] remain in their dwellings to feed. Rather, they go out to feed after grazing [and] return from their dwellings, and [are] complete outside of the meridian and they stand—not at the ninth hour [nones] they go out again to feed and stand in the pastures until before the setting of the sun. Then, around the setting of the sun, they return to their dwellings indeed to roost in them for all of the night to rest. Nevertheless, it must be stated more universally that those which are born in trees and have a dwelling there, return to the trees; those which are in cliffs, to the cliffs; those which are in fruits, to the fruits; those which are on the ground, to the ground; and so on for the other dwellings of terrestrial birds. There are also other terrestrial birds which go out to feed in the night twice, namely in the evening twilight and the morning, especially if the night is dark. For in the splendor of the moon, they go out to prey at any hour, just as are owls and the manner of night-birds. And more universally, all birds which go out by night—

At the bottom of the page are two large birds standing on the ground. On the left is a brown owl (bubo) with prominent ear tufts and large eyes. On the right is a large bird of prey, possibly a hawk or falcon, with speckled brown and white plumage and a sharp beak.