280 RAPTORES. 



young produced ? What is said of their nests ? Describe the different 

 stages of the incubated egg. What is said of the migration of birds? 

 What does the term moulting mean? How often does it occur? Are birds 

 long lived? What facts show it? What is said of their fossil remains? 

 Upon what is the classification of birds based ? What is the estimated num- 

 ber of species? What are the Grand Divisions of birds? In how many 

 orders are they respectively included ? Name them. 



SECTION II. 



LAND-BIRDS. (FIRST DIVISION.) FIVE ORDERS. 



1. ORDER. RAPTORES. (Lat. rapio, to seize.) BIRDS OF 



PREY, or RAVENERS. 



This order is sometimes named ACCIPITRES, (Lat. Hawks,) and 

 divided into two sub-orders: 1. Acclpilres diurni, (Lat. Hawks 

 of the Day,) 2. Accipitres nocturni, (Hawks of the Night.) 



The BIRDS OF PREY are among the largest and the most mus- 

 cular and powerful of all the feathered tribes. They are easily 

 known by their strong hooked beak, and large acute talons or 

 claws. (Plate IX. fig. 20.) By the claws the first blow is given 

 to the prey, which, when grasped by the feet, is torn open by the 

 bill. For aid in this operation, the typical Raptores, (the Fal- 

 cons proper,) have a strong and sharp tooth-like projection from 

 one or both of the mandibles ; (Plate IX. fig. 3 ;) but in those of 

 this order that feed upon carrion or small animals, this projection 

 is nearly or entirely deficient. The base of the beak is covered 

 with a naked skin called the cere, in which the nostrils are 

 pierced ; the stomach consists of a membranous sac, without a 

 muscular gizzard. 



The flight of these birds is lofty, vigorous and long-sustained. 

 Their increase is slow, and they are comparatively few in num. 

 ber. They annually produce not more than two or three eggs, 

 generally pure white. The females of the order, contrary to the 

 general rule in birds, are one-third larger than the males. The 

 Birds of Prey are found in all parts of the world. They include 

 three distinctly marked families, viz. : 1. Falconida, the Falcons ; 



2. Vulturinida, the Vultures ; 3. Strigida, the Owls. 



FIRST FAMILY. THE FALCONS. 

 Falconidce, (Lat falco, a falcon.) 



This family is arranged by Swainson into five sub-families, 

 viz. ; (1) Aquilina, Eagles; (2) Milvina, Kites; (3) Buteonince, 

 Buzzards; (4) Falconina, Falcons; (5) Accipitrina, Hawks. 



