2 BRITISH BIRDS. 
his ‘Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum,’ enumerates nearly 
400 species and subspecies, which he subdivides into 80 genera. In the 
British Islands five-and-twenty species or more have occurred, belonging 
to eleven genera, which may be distinguished as follows :— 
a. Front of lower half of tarsus (as well as the sides and back) covered 
with small hexagonal reticulations, not feathered to the toes. 
a’. No true feathers on the crown of the head .........000-0e eee VULTUR. 
b'. Crown of the head covered with true feathers. 
a’, First primary much longer than the secondaries; lores not 
feathered, but furnished with bristles. 
a*, Tail even or slightly rounded. 
a‘. Outer toe not reversible; bill deeply notched .... Fatco. 
b', Outer toe reversible ; notch almost obsolete ...... PANDION. 
O, Pas Mentely LOUKOW. case ate as nw cash i e maps weet late ELANOIDES. 
b*. First primary about equal to the secondaries; lores feathered PrRNIs. 
}. Front of tarsus feathered, or covered with broad transverse scales. 
c', Tarsus less than one fourth the length of the tail.............. Mivus. 
d', Tarsus more than one fourth the length of the tail. 
c*. Lower half of tarsus scaled in front and reticulated at the 
10 RB et Pate MR AVEO tI IEE ERC CET ELI HALIAETUS. 
d°. Lower half‘of tarsus either feathered in front or scaled at 
the back. 
ce’. Tarsus feathered in front to the toes ..... dieu nies sonar AQUILA, 
d®, Lower half of tarsus scaled in front and at the back. 
ce’. Tarsus less than a fourth the length of the wing, 
and less than half the length of the first primary. 
a’. Tarsus thick; circumference about ome third 
OF Lan Rt 55 cha Nutews 5 cca te ot ieee ae Bureo. 
b°. Tarsus slender; circumference less than one 
RiCH OF Lemp th sss wae wakes = 6 meee eee chee Circus. 
d'. Tarsus one fourth or more the length of the wing, 
and more than half the length of the first 
PBIY. ,-5:<0:ry ss < ciybtin cca S E < es ACCIPITER. 
Genus VULTUR. 
The genus Vultur was established by Linneus in 1766, in his ‘Systema 
Nature,’ i. p. 122. In 1806 Duméril separated the New-World Vultures, 
restricting the genus Vultur to those of the Old World, but not designating 
any type. Linnzus only knew two species of this genus, V. monachus and 
V. percnopterus. As the former bird is undoubtedly the most typical 
Vulture, its claim to be considered the type can scarcely be disputed. 
The species of Vulture which have been found in the British Islands are 
easily separated from the rest of the Falconidze by the absence of true 
feathers on the head, which is more or less naked, or covered with down 
only. The front of the tarsus as well as its sides and back are covered 
a 
