(1)—RAPTORES (Birds of Prey) 
which comprise, the Vultures, Falcons, Kestrels, Sparrow-Hawks, 
Eagles, Buzzards, Harriers, Kites and Owls. These birds have strong 
and vigorous bills, legs and claws; upper mandible hooked and 
pointed, sharp in most of the families, generally with a festoon, or 
sinuations well adapted for tearing their, at times, tough prey ; naked 
membrane at base of the bill—the cere; wings large and powerful, 
with strong resisting primaries, 10 in number usually, 12 strong tail 
feathers; legs strong and muscular; the tarsi bones are generally 
protected by large scutella or scales in front ; eyes situated. laterally, 
are large, and the sight acute, aided by a delicate sense of hearing. 
These birds are separated into the following families :—(1) Vulturide, 
Vultures. (2) Falconidee, Eagles, ete. (3) Strigide, owls. 
I Famity VULTURIDA—(VULTURES) 
Are a well-known family, so require, but little introduction. 
Three types are found in India—(A) True Vultures, (B) Scavengers, 
(C) Bearded Vulture or Lammergeirs, having the neck covered with 
feathers, like eagles. 
Vultures have longish bills, straight upper ridge or culmen, tip 
curved and blunt, lacking the sharp tooth of the Falconide ; cere 
invariably large ; tarsus short and stout, protected by smallish scales, 
and feathered usually to the knee, toes long, middle toe lengthened ; 
hallux short; claws strong, but blunt, as compared with the next 
family. 
Sus-FAMILY VULTURIN AG 
Have long bills thick and strong, depth of which is greater than 
the width, tip curved; cere long; head and upper neck, with soft 
feathery down; wings long; tail short. These birds are of large 
size some over 4 feet in length. Their flight is graceful. They 
mount up to a great height where they spend, no small part of their 
leisure, gracefully performing on the wing great curves and circles in 
a comparatively slow easy manner, with but little effort. Wings have 
an up-turned appearance, a few of the primary quills showing out 
distinctly. 
(1) VULTURE MONACHUS, Great Brown Vulture, is not so plentiful 
as the other species. It is sometimes seen in the plains ,and occa- 
sionally in Darjeeling and the district. It has been called, the Great 
Brown Vulture of the Himalayas, and can be made out by its large 
