FALCOM. HA '.VKS, ETC. O.^^ 



ORDER X. FALCOM. HAWKS, ETC. 



Sternum, stout and arched. Keel, high. Furcula, very strong and considerably arched. 

 Head, not large. 



Although some of the members of tliis Order resom))Ie the Owls somcwhiit in rv-ernul 

 forms, they dilTer widely from them in mmi)' interiKtl I'iiiiracters. The eyes in ' r.s 



jire quite large but among the present birds, they are not directed quitt! so well forward, 

 neither are they especially adapted for seeing by night. The bill, as in the Owls, is strong 

 and curved but is not often concealed by liristly feathers. Usually there is no disic of 

 feathers surrounding the face but this is occasionally present, notaidy anio:-!g the •^;)'"-ies 

 in Circus, in which genus the cavity of the ear is also lari:e; yet (Iiis is not so i le 



in other Ilawlcs. The tarsus is usually rather long and naked but is oce:ision:dly f»Mih- 

 ered, even to the toes. The wings are long and well formed but the plumage is con: pact, 

 especially that by which fliglit is produced. The sternum is always strong, v.i;!i ciMier an 

 unbroken margin or two or lour mar.uinal indentations. These are oftener closed !!ian (ipen 

 but they differ widely in this respect, as will be seen under family and :,ene:;c characters. 

 The keel is quite high as a rule, aUhough it does not always equal in he'ght one half the 

 width of the sternum and seldom exceeds it. The coslal process is nuich sm::l!i'r ihan in 

 th(; preceding order. The corauoi Is are stout auil of medimn length, as in the Owls, and 

 are set on at a wide angle hut, unlike the latter named order, where the i'lircula is notice- 

 ably weak and without a terminal expansion, ia these birds, it is very strong, well arched, 

 and has a slight terminal expansion. The scapula is similar in form to (hat of the Owls 

 but is more inclined backwanl toward the sternum than in the latter named order, where 

 it is set on at nearly a right angle with the coraeoid. The manubrium is usually present 

 but small. All this sternal structure indicates that its possessors are not only endowed 

 with powerful flight but that they are capable of making very rapid and abrupt aerial 

 evolutions. 



As in the Owls, the oesophagus is wide but in these birds, it is dilated into a crop of 

 considerable size. The proventriculas is very well developed. The stomach is large but 

 not muscular. Although the fold of the duodenum is quite long, the pancreas is not very 

 large. There are two coeca but they are not very well developed, often, in fact, being 

 rudimentary. The females are larger than the males. 



FAMILY I. MlLVIDxE. THE KITES. 



The sternum, about equals in width the length cfilc ccrccoids and the scapular process of 

 the latter does not meet fhefurcula. Marginal indentations, (wo, inclosed. 



In this family, I have incdaded a number of genera wluih, although they vary greatly 

 in external form, agree in sternal idiaracters as given abi^ve. T!ie manubrium is moder- 

 ately v/ell developed but is not forked. The farcula is stout, flattened by latcr.al expjinsion, 

 wide and thick near the base which is abruptly truncated, not being produced into a ] oint. 

 The terminal expansion is small and the iurcula near it is contracted, furrowed above. 



