18 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



appearance, certainly give them a peculiar aspect ; and taking 

 into consideration their whole structure and habits, they appear 

 to me to he well worthy of separation as a distinct family in this 

 order, and certainly more allied to the Vtdtures than to the Fal- 

 conidw. The Polyhori^ too, it may be mentioned, only lay two 

 eggs. 



The best known species are Polijhorus hrasiliensis, the Carrancha; 

 the Chiniango, Milvago Chimango ; and AI. australis horn the 

 Falkland Isles, the tamest and boldest of alL Other genera are 

 Ibycter and Daptrius. One species of Ibycter is said, like Neophron, 

 to feed on excrement as well as on carrion. 



The family Sekpentarid^, Gray, (^Gypogeranidcv, Bonaparte) 

 was formed for the reception of the well-known Secretary Bird, or 

 Serpent-eater of Africa ( Serpentarius reptll'worus, Levaill., Ois. 

 d'Afr., pi. 25). It is distinguished from all other birds of prey by 

 its long tarsi, which has led to its being formerly classed with 

 Waders or Gallinos. It is a very large bird, with handsome crest, 

 and elongated tail, of very easily domesticated habits, so that it is 

 often kept in poultry-yards to destroy snakes, lizards, and other 

 vermin. The bill is rather short and well curved, the wings are 

 long, the shoulders armed with a blunt s[)ine, the tarsi long, and toes 

 very short, with the front ones much united by membrane, and the 

 hallux very short, and articulated above the plane of the others. 

 The lower part of the tarsus and acropodia are scutellated ; the claws 

 are blunt, and little curved. The sternum is entire, much narrowed 

 posteriorly. I have given it distinct family rank, in accordance 

 with Gray and Bonaparte. It certainly bears some resemblance to 

 Circaefus and Spilornis, next which Swainson classes it in his 

 Synopsis of Genera, but I cannot see any affinity to the Harriers, 

 with which Gray formerly classed it. 



Fam. FALCONIDJE. 



Bill usually short and compressed; tip elongated, curved, and 

 sharp ; margin of upper mandible toothed or festooned ; wings 

 more or less pointed ; tail various, generally rather long ; legs 

 and feet strong; tarsus bare, or feathered; toes generally unequal, 



