ACCIPITRES. 229 



Gypaetos, Storr. Phene, Savigny. 



The Griffins, placed by Gtnelin in the genus Falco, are more nearly- 

 allied to the Vultures in their habits and conformation ; their eyes 

 are even with the head ; their talons proportionably weak ; wings 

 half extended when at rest j the crop, when full, projecting at the 

 bottom of the neck; but their head is completely covered with 

 feathers. Their distinguishing characters consist in a very strong, 

 straight beak, hooked at the end, and inflated on the curve ; nostrils 

 covered by stiff" hairs, directed forwards, and a pencil of similar 

 ones under the beak ; their tarsi short and feathered to the toes j 

 their wings long, the third quill being the longest. 



Vult. barbarus and Falco barbatus, Gm. PI. Col. 431 ; Edw. 

 106 ; Vieillot, Gal. pi. 8 ; Nauman, pi. 4 and 5 j Nisser of 

 Bruce, Abyss, pi. 31. {The Lxmmer-geyer.) The largest 

 bird of prey belonging to the eastern continent, inhabiting 

 the high chains of mountains, but not very common. It 

 builds its nest on inaccessible acclivities, attacks lambs, goats, 

 the chamois, and, as it is said, even man, when it finds him 

 asleep ; it is asserted that children have been carried away by 

 it. Its usual mode of attack is to force its prey from some pre- 

 cipice, which it then devours, being killed and mangled by the 

 fall. It does not, however, reject dead bodies. Its length is 

 nearly four feet, the distance from the tip of one wing to that of 

 the other being from nine to ten. The mantle is blackish, with 

 a white line on the middle of each feather ; the neck, and all 

 the under part of the body are of a light and brilliant fawn-co- 

 lour ; a black band surrounds the head. The neck and breast 

 of the young, until the fourth year inclusive, are of a brown 

 colour, more or less deep. This bird is the Phene of the Greeks, 

 and the Ossifraga of the Latins. (l) 



Falco, Lin. 



The Falcons form the second, and by far most numerous division 

 of the diurnal birds of prey. Their head and neck are covered with 

 feathers j their eye-brows project, which occasions the eye to appear 

 sunk, and gives to their physiognomy a character very difi"erent 

 from that of the Vultures : the greater number prey on living ani- 

 mals, but they diff'er in the courage with which they pursue it. Their 

 first plumage is often very differently coloured from that of the adult, 



(1) Savigny, Ois. d'Egyp. et de Syrie, p. 18, in the great work on Egypt, was 

 the first who firmly established this synonyme. 



