CARACARA 



75 



modern ornithology, — the representative of a small group of birds, 

 Avhich from their Falconine structure and Vulturine haljit, to say 

 nothing of certain peculiarities, might he not unfitly regarded as 

 forming a distinct Family. Three genera, Ibycter Avhich is arboreal, 

 Milvago "which is not, and Polyhorus proper are usually admitted ; 

 but ]\Ir. Sharpe {Cat. B. Br. Miis. i. p. 34) unites the first two, 

 though as the figures here given shew, their bills are very differ- 

 ently formed, Avhile he jilaces as of equal rank in the same sub- 



MlLVAGO. 



(After Swainson.) 



Ibycter. 



family Cariama (Seriema) and Serpentarius (Secretary-bird). 

 Mr. Ridgway in a careful monograph of the group {Bull. Geol. 

 Geogr. Surv. Territ. No. 6, pp. 451-473, pis. 22-26) regards a fourth 

 genus, Phalcobxims, as necessary, and Gurney {List. Diurn. B. of 

 Prey, pp. 11-14) would have six genera. These birds, with some 

 others, are the "Carrion-hawks" so fi'equently mentioned in 

 Darwin's Voyage ; but the fullest description of the habits of those 

 frequenting the southern part of South America is by Mr. W. H. 

 Hudson {Argent. Ornithology, ii. pp, 74-88) under the names of 

 " Chimango " and " Carancho " — the former belonging to Milvago 

 and the latter being the species which more to the northward is 

 called " Caracara," namely Polyhorus tharus. Still further north- 

 Avard, extending throughout Guiana and thence to Ecuador, as 

 Avell as to Central America, California, and the Gulf States of 

 North America, besides Cuba, a form is found now recognized by 

 many as a distinct species under the name of P. cheriivay or P. 

 auduboni — the last being applied especially to examples from the 

 northern side of the Gulf of Mexico ; while the Guadelupe Islands 

 on the coast of Lower California possess what is deemed by Mr. 

 Eidgway {uf supra) to be a third species, P, lutosus. All the 

 members of this group are said to walk or run on the 

 a peculiarity not possessed in perfection by any of the 

 Falconine birds with which they are generally associated, 

 worthy of remark that, according to ]Mr. Hudson {ut supra) 

 the introduction of large herds of cattle to the plains of 

 America the abundance of food supplied by their carcases 

 produced a great increase in the numbers of these birds. 



ground- 



other 



It is 



since 



South 



has 



