320 Mr. Vigors 's Sketches in Ornlthologt/. 



■which have reached Europe of its mild and gentle manners, and 

 vegetable food, have even induced some naturalists to refer it to 

 the Gallinaceous Birds. I have strong doubts indeed whether the 

 birds that compose this genus may not belong to quite a distinct 

 station from the present, and be referable to one of those groups 

 which I have elsewhere observed to be wanting among the Birds 

 of Prey, to perfect that chain of affinities which is to be found 

 complete in all the other Orders. It is impossible, however, at 

 present, to come to any decision on the subject ; while our mate- 

 rials for classification are so scanty, the most that is in our power 

 is to conjecture the place which more perfect information will 

 enable us to assign any group hereafter. For the present, we may 

 leave the genera before us in that situation between the Vid' 

 turidcB and FalconidWj which they have hitherto been generally 

 supposed to fill. 



The remaining species of the Eagles, with naked cheeks, have 

 been included under the title of 



PoLYBORUS, Vieill. 



which ag-rees with the latter of the two preceding genera in the 

 cere being covered with hairs, and the under mandible obtuse : 

 but difi"ers from both, according to M. Vieillot, in the same man- 

 dible being entire, the face alone naked, the culmen of the bill 

 compressed instead of convex, and the nails nearly blunt. The 

 type of the genus is the F. Brazillensis of Linnaeus, the Caracara 

 of M. Buffou. F. Novw Zwlandice, Lath, also belongs to this 

 genus, to which M. Temminckhas also referred jF. degener, 111. 



We pass from the Eagles that form the foregoing groups, under 

 the guidance of M. Cuvier, to the Fishing Eagles of the old Con- 

 tinent ; the first of which that we may particularize is the genus 



Pandion, Sav. 

 This group presents us with a decidedly characteristick dilFerence 

 from all the other species of the family, except those of Elanus, 

 which I shall mention hereafter, in the internal part of the nails 

 being rounded instead of grooved. The culmen of the bill is 

 also more broad than usual, and much rounded. The toes are 



