20io THE DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 



backward, thus 'giving an extraordinary range of movement to the lower part of the 

 leg, which is said to be of the greatest advantage in extracting their reptilian prey 

 from the crannies where they lie concealed. L,ike the harpy eagles, these hawks 

 often seek for reptiles along the line of jungle fires, while they frequent marshes 

 and swamps in search of frogs. The toes are remarkable for their extreme lateral 

 compression, which is said to be also a feature admirably adapted for capturing the 

 reptiles on which these birds prey. In addition to reptiles, it is stated that these 

 hawks will also kill and eat small birds and mammals, especially such of the latter 

 as, like shrews, frequent moist localities. Nothing appears to have been ascertained 

 with regard to their breeding habits. 



The remaining members of the Hawk family are mainly South Amer- 

 _ ican, and constitute a subfamily by themselves. These birds, which 



are commonly designated caracaras, from a corruption of the native 

 name of their Brazilian representatives, differ not only in general appearance from 

 more typical hawks, but likewise^ in the mode of life. In the first place, whereas 

 in all other members of the family the third and fourth toes alone are connected 

 at their bases by a small web, in the caracaras both the second and fourth toes are 

 so connected with the middle one. They are all long-legged birds, with the meta- 

 tarsus naked, and the beak is generally characterized by its depth and compres- 

 sion, while there is more or less naked skin on the sides of the face. In their 

 general habits they are chiefly terrestrial, and nest on the ground; and as they run 

 well and rapidly, they recall in these respects the gallinaceous birds. Mr. W. H. 

 Hudson remarks that they are "carrion eaters, also killers on their own account, 

 and, like wild dogs, sometimes hunt in packs, which gives them an advantage. 

 They are the unfailing attendants of all flesh hunters, human or feline, and also 

 furiously pursue and persecute all eagles and true vultures that venture on the 

 pampas." Formerly the caracaras were considered to be allied to the secretary 

 vulture, but their true affinities- are now known to be nearer to the harriers, and, 

 according to the observer just quoted, when on the wing the smaller species present 

 a striking resemblance to the latter. 



The caracaras may be divided into two genera, according to the 

 azi ian form of the nostrils. The largest member of the group is the Brazilian 



caracara, known in the Argentine as the carancha (Polyborus tharus), 

 and belonging to the genus with oval nostrils. This fine bird, which ranges over 

 the whole of South America, may be compared in size to a small eagle, attaining 

 a length of fully twenty-six inches. Its head is crested, and the ground color of 

 the upper parts deep blackish brown, with the feathers of the back and wing coverts 

 marked with narrow whitish crossbars. The tail is mostly buffish white, with 

 darker bars, and the sides of the head and under parts are of the same ground color, 

 marked, except on the head and throat, with narrow black bars. The large beak 

 is pale blue, the cere and naked portion of the face are normally carmine red, 

 and the legs and feet yellow. Under certain conditions naked portions of the 

 face may, however, assume a pale color. In Northern South America, as well as 

 in Central America, and Southern North America, together with Cuba and Trini- 

 dad, there occurs the rather smaller Audubon's caracara (P. cheriway)\ and a third 



