THE GENERA 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS, 



AND 



A SYNOPSIS OF THE SPECIES FOUND IN THE UNITED STATES, 



ORDER I. ACCIPITRES. 



tfrccipitresj L. Gm. Lath. Cuv. Vieill. Raptatores, UL 

 Rapaces, Temm. Ranz. Latr. 



Bill short, robust, compressed ; upper mandible hooked, 

 covered at base with a cere ; lower shorter, generally obtuse : 

 nostrils patulous, situated in the cere : tongue generally 

 fleshy, thick, obtuse. Feet strong, muscular ; tibiae fleshy r , 

 wholly feathered ; tarsi rounded, generally short or moder- 

 ate ; toes, three before and one behind, divided, or connected 

 at base by a membrane ; sole rough ; nails strong, compres- 

 sed, incurved, acute, retractile. Neck short : body thick and 

 heavy. Tail of twelve or fourteen feathers. 



Female larger and more powerful. Young at first covered 

 with down. Moult annually. 



Rapacious : hunting quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, fishes, 

 and insects, or feeding on dead bodies. Patient of hunger, 

 and hardly experiencing thirst. Vision acute. Monogamous : 

 nestling in high trees, rocks, and buildings ; laying about four 

 eggs ; female only incubating. Flesh not esteemed as food. 

 Analogous to Ferae in Mammalia, 

 Vol. II. 3 



