AYES. 303 



high trees, and it is Avhcn rearing their 3'oung that tliey arc most destructive. 

 They are destroyed without mercy hy our agricultural population, and are be- 

 coming rare, as resident birds, in the more densely populated districts ; but 

 "vvhen the rigors of winter urge them to more excursive habits they are fre- 

 quently met with. A smaller species is also occasionally seen in all the 

 Northern States ; it is the broad-winged hawk of Wilson (/>. ])eiinsyh:an'iciis). 

 It is a handsome plumaged and rather graceful bird, and comparatively harm- 

 less in its habits. 



Of the European species the common buzzard, B. vulgaris {pi. \^A.fig. 8), 

 is the best knoAvn. In disposition and general history it is much like the 

 common species of America. It is frequently met with in England and Scot- 

 land, and is disseminated over the whole continent ; it has been observed to 

 prey upon almost every description of small animals. 



The genus Archibuteo comprises several fine species which have the legs 

 completely feathered to the .toes, and Avhich arc restricted to Europe and North 

 America. Here is classed the black hawk of Wilson (^4. sancli-johainiis, Gm., 

 A. niger, Wils.), a common species, though rarely seen in mature plumage, 

 which is perfectly black ; also another western species {A.fern/S(iiien.s, Licht.) 

 which has recently become knoAvn. 



Closely allied to the American black hawk, and resembling it in a remark- 

 able degree Avhen in young plumage, is the rough-legged buzzard of Europe 

 (^4. lagopi/s), a Avell known species disseminated over the entire continent, but 

 appearing only occasionally in the south of England. Its history is little 

 known. 



Several of the South American species of this sub-flimily are remarkable 

 for a beautiful white and black plumage, such as Biiteo melanops and B. 

 pccciloiotus ; and one Mexican species is almost perfectly pure white, though 

 the name is not so attractive, being Biiteo ghieshregliti'i. 



The African and Asiatic species are not numerous. Of the former may be 

 mentioned several first made known by the celebrated Le A^aillant, such as 

 Circcbtns thorackus and Biiteo bacha ; and of the latter, Buteo plumipes 

 and others. 



Suh-fam. 3. AquiUme, or the Eagles. Bill moderate, rather lengthened 

 and large, compressed, margins more or less festooned ; nostrils large ; wings 

 long and generally pointed ; tail long, an)ple, and usually rounded at the tip ; 

 tarsi and feet very strong, the former more or less feathered, the latter and 

 generally part of the former covered with very distinct scales ; claws very 

 strong, much curved and acute, that of the inner toe strongest. Size large, 

 flight generally very rapid and vigorous. 



The eagles are distributed over the entire surfiice of the glo])e, and tlic 

 typical species, the golden eagle, A(p('da c/uysaetos, Linn. [pi. 105, ßg. 1), is 

 common to the northern parts of both continents ; which is also the case with 

 the typical fishing eagle, better known in tlie United States as the bald 

 eagle, Haliaetus Iniicocephalus, though it is rarely met with in the old 

 world. 



The eagles have been celebrated since the earliest times for their 

 extraordinary vigor of flight, their large and graceful figure, and, we may 



507 



