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208 FALCONIDA, DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. 
country ; it is merely a variety of the S. American bird. Bonap., Am. Orn. 
pl. 7,f.2; Nurr., i, 118; Aup., i, 119, pl. 31; Athene hypogea and A. cunic- 
ularia Cass. in Bp., 59, 60; Coop., 437,440. CUNICULARIA var. HYPOGHA. 
Family FALCONIDA. Diurnal Birds of Prey. 
Comprising the great bulk of the order, this large family may be best defined by 
exclusion of the special features marking the others. There is nothing of the 
grallatorial analogy exhibited by the singular G'ypogeranide; the nostrils are not 
completely pervious, nor the hind toe obviously elevated, as in Cathartidew, and 
other peculiarities of the American vultures. are not shown. Comparing with the ~ 
owls, we miss their peculiar physiognomy, the eyes looking laterally as in ordinary 
birds, the disk wanting (except in the Circus group, where it is imperfect), the after- 
shaft present (except in Pandion), the outer toe not versatile (except in Pandion), 
and not shorter than the inner. The external ears are moderate and non-operculate. 
The eyes, as a rule (but not always), are sunken beneath a projecting superciliary 
shelf, conferring a decided and threatening gaze. The bill shows the raptorial type 
in its perfection, and is always furnished with a cere in which the nostrils are 
pierced. The lores, with occasional exceptions owing to nakedness or dense soft 
feathering, are scantily clothed with radiating bristles, which however do not form, 
as in the owls, a dense appressed mass hiding the base of the bill. The feet are 
strong, with widely separable and highly contractile toes, and large sharp curved 
claws — efficient instruments of prehension, offence and defence. The toes are 
generally scabrous underneath, with wart-like pads at the joints, to prevent slipping, 
and commonly show a basal web. The podotheca is very variable; the whole 
tarsus is frequently feathered, and usually partially so; the horny covering takes 
the form of scutella, or reticulations, or rugous granulations, and is occasionally 
fused. The capacious gullet dilates into a crop ; the gizzard is moderately muscular ; 
the intestines vary; the cceca are extremely small. The syrinx has one pair of 
intrinsic muscles. There are several good osteological characters. 
Birds of this family abound in all parts of the world, and hold the relation to 
the rest of their class that the carnivorous beasts do to other mammals. ‘There are 
upwards of 300 good species or very strongly marked geographical races, justly 
referable to about 50 full genera. In round numbers, 1,000 specific and 200 
generic names have been instituted for Malconide. No unexceptionable sub- 
division of the family has yet been proposed; and as this point is still at issue, I 
deem it best not to present subfamilies. Instead of an attempt in this direction, 
which would necessarily be premature, I will endeavor to give the student a general 
idea of the composition of the family. 
1. The Old World vultures form a group standing somewhat apart from the 
others in many points of external structure and habits, although correspondent in 
more essential characters. Until Prof. Muxley’s successful exhibition of this fact, 
they were usually united in a family, Vultwride, with the American vultures, from 
which, however, they differ decidedly, as stated beyond. It is a small group of six | 
genera and about twelve species. The bearded griflin, Gypactus barbatus, is conspic- 
uous for its raptorial nature. The other genera, more or less decidedly ‘* vulturine,” 
are Vultur, Otogyps, Gyps, Neophron and Gypohierax; the characteristic species 
are —V. monachus, O. auricularis, G. fulvus, N. percnopterus and G. angolensis. 
2. The genus Polyborus (beyond), illustrates a small group of hawks partaking 
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