118 AVES. 



ORDER I. 



ACCIPITRES, Linnaus. 



BIRDS of prey are known by their hooked beak and talons, powerful weapons, 

 with which they pursue other birds, and even the weaker quadrupeds and 

 reptiles. They are among birds what the camivora are among quadrupeds. 

 The muscles of their thighs and legs indicate the strength of their claws ; 

 their tarsi are rarely elongated ; they have, all, four toes ; the nail of the thumb 

 and that of the internal toe are the strongest. 



They form two families, the diurnal and the nocturnal. 



FAMILY I. 



DIURN^E. 



THE eyes of the diurnal birds of prey are directed side-ways ; they have a 

 membrane called the cera, or eere, covering the base of 

 the beak, in which the nostrils are pierced ; three toes 

 before, one behind, without feathers, the two external 

 ones almost always united at the base by a short membrane ; 

 the plumage dense, the quills strong, and great power on 

 the wing. Their sternum is broad, and completely ossi- 

 fied, in order to give more extended attachments to the 

 muscles of the wings, and their fourchette semicircular 

 and widely separated, the better to resist the violent 

 flexions of the humeri necessary to a rapid flight. 

 Linn.tus comprehended them all under two genera, which are so many 

 natural divisions, the vulturet and the falcons. 



VULTUB, Linnaeus. 



The vutturex have eyes flush with the head, and reticulated tarsi, that is, 



covered with small scales; an elongated 

 beak, curved only at the end, and a greater 

 or less portion of the head, or even of the 

 neck divested of feathers. The strength 

 of their talons does not correspond with 

 their size, and they make more use of 

 their beak than of their claws. Their 

 wings are so long that in walking they 

 keep them in a state of semi-extension. 

 They are a cowardly genus, feeding oftener 

 on carrion than on a living prey ; when they have fed, their crop forms a great 



