RAPTATORES. 269 



curved point of the upper beak are always hard and horny. The 

 strong toes, of which the outer can be turned backwards or forwards, 

 are always armed with powerful claws, which are admirably adapted 

 for the seizure of prey. The feet are p. insidentes, and are feathered 

 to the intertarsal joint, rarely to the toes. Before the digestion the 

 food is softened in the crop, from which the feathers and hairs rolled 

 together in balls are ejected as the " castings." As a rule the female 

 alone incubates, but the male assists in procuring food for the help- 

 less young. Some genera of Owls and Falcons are cosmopolitan. 



Fam. Strigidae. Owls. With large, anteriorly directed eyes, which are sur- 

 rounded by a circle of stiff feathers, sometimes in a veil-like manner ; with 

 strong, hooked beak, bent downwards from the base. The ear has usually a 

 membranous operculum and external cutaneous fold, on which the feathers may 

 be grouped, so as to give the appearance of a concha. Strix Jiammea L., Bam 

 Owl (fig. 664) ; Syrnium aluco L., Tawny Owl ; Otus vulgaris L., Long-eared 

 Owl; O. bracliyotus Gm., Short-eared Owl ; Bubo maxlmus Sibb., Eagle Owl; 

 Epldaltes scops L., Scops Owl, South Europe ; 

 Surnia passerina Bias., Sparrow Owl ; Xyctea 

 nivea Daud., Snowy Owl. 



Fam. Vulturidae. Vultures. Raptatorcs 

 of large size, with long, straight beak, only 

 bent downwards at the tip. Nares often 

 pervious (CathartineB). Head and neck 

 often in great part naked. The head some- 

 times bears lobed appendages ; the neck is 

 often surrounded by a collar of down and 

 feathers. Sarcorhampkus gry pirns Geoffr., 



Condor ; S. papa Dum., King-Vulture. South 



riG. 064. Head of Strixjlanimea. 

 America ; Catliartes aura 111. ; C. atratus 



Baird, Turkey Buzzard, South America ; Neophron percnopterus Sav., Egyptian 

 Vulture; Vultur clncreus Gm., South Europe; Gyps fulvus Briss.; Gypaetus 

 barbatus Cuv., Lammergeier, South Europe. 



Fam. Accipitridae = Falconidae. With shorter and usually dentated beak, 

 feathered head (rarely with naked cheeks) and neck. Metatarsus of medium 

 length, and sometimes feathered. 



Aquila cTirysaetos L., Golden Eagle, South Germany; B. imperialis Kais. Bias., 

 Imperial Eagle, South Europe ; A.fulva M.W., Golden Eagle, Tyrol ; A. nacvia 

 Briss., Spotted Eagle ; Haliaetos albicilla Briss. (ossifragus L.). Sea Eagle, 

 Europe, North Africa ; Pandion lialiaetos, Cuv., Osprey, Northern hemisphere. 



Milvus regalis Briss., Red Kite. Seizes its prey from other birds, and 

 only takes small animals as hamster-rats, moles, and mice ; N. ater Daud., 

 Black Kite. 



Buteo vulgaris L., Buzzard ; B. lagopus L., Rough-legged Buzzard ; Pcrnis 

 apiwrus Cuv., Honey Buzzard. 



Astur palunibarius L., Goshawk; Nisus communis Cuv., Sparrowhawk. 



Falco tinnunculhs L., Kestrel ; F.peregrinns L.. Peregrine-falcon ; F. candidits 

 Gm. = gyrfalco L.. Jer-falcon. 



Circus rvfus L. (ceruginosus). Marsh Harrier ; (7. nyaneus L., Hen Harrier. 



