1996 



THE DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 



three well-defined 'species, the harpies are referred to as many genera. The Guianan 

 harpy eagle {Morphnus guianensis} , which is the species represented in our illus- 

 tration, is readily characterized by the length of its tail, which is fully four times as 

 long as the metatarsus. The range of this species includes Amazonia and Guiana 

 as well as Panama. The crowned harpy {Harpyhaliaetus coronatus), which has a 

 more extensive distribution, extending from Northern Patagonia and Chili to Cen- 



GUIANAN HARPY EAGI.B. 



(One-fifth natural size.) 



tral America, differs by the much shorter tail, of which the length is less than thrice 

 that of the metatarsus. Both these species agree in that the interval between the 

 summit of the nostril and the upper line of the beak is less than the length of the 

 nostril; whereas in the true harpy (Thrysaetus harpyia), ranging from Bolivia and 

 Paraguay to Mexico, the corresponding interval is greater than the length of the 

 nostril. 



