RAPTORES. 39 



through all life — from the zoophite to man- — although some are 

 now extinct. Therefore let each naturalist arrange them as he 

 thinks best, only let him describe each species correctly. 



From the synoptical table it will be seen that I have two 

 vultures first — the Griffon Vulture, Vultur Fidvus, and the 

 Egyptian Neophron, Vultur Perenopterus — not that they 

 have any particular claim to be so, or the best types to repre- 

 sent the order, but the reverse ; for, as they are placed first, so 

 are the harriers, kites, and owls placed last, leaving the true 

 types, the falcons, in the centre — a system of describing a 

 living circle quite obvious. I may remark, however, that the 

 circle should finish with the harriers and kites, leaving the owls 

 to form a family group by themselves ; but as they are kept 

 distinct by being described as nocturnal, or night birds of prey, 

 in distinction to the diurnal, or daylight birds of prey, this 

 explanation (though somewhat tedious) will be found so far 

 correct, although in the British birds there are several links 

 awanting to complete the chain between the falconidse and the 

 owls. 



As two of the vultures — the griffon vulture and the Egyptian 

 neophron — found their way to Britain and were shot — one in 

 Ireland, the other in Somersetshire — they are set down by 

 British ornithologists as occasional visitants, and as the facts 

 dial take place, there they stand in our synopsis on the same 

 principle as that a Sandwich Islander or a native of Otaheita 

 (those primitive types of humanity at the one end of the human 

 circle, with the Kaffir and Hottentot at the other) would be 

 called an O.V. in a history of the human races visiting Great 

 Britain, should such swarthy specimens of humanity find their 

 way, either by sail or steam (as they could not by wings) to 

 these rocky homes of freedom and progress, where exist the true, 

 intellectual, and best types of mankind. 



For the sake of simplicity, I shall divide our rapacious, out- 

 lawed friends into three, families — the Vulturidce or Vultures, 

 the Falconidce or Falcons, and the Strigidce or the Owls. 

 These, again, can be sub-divided into sub-families and genera as 

 we proceed. 



Now, as vultures are not found in these islands, for the sake 

 of information, and to back up, as it were, our solitary friends 

 the griffon and neophron, w T ho had evidently lost their way, I 

 see no harm in describing them, and giving a brief history 

 of the family. 



