CATHAKTID^E. CLII. 255 



8. T. 2. Tropical America, N. to Va. ; common S. (Lat., 

 like a sparrow.) 



ORDER XLL KAPTORES. (THE BIRDS OF PREY.) 



Bill powerful, cered at base, strongly hooked at the end. Feet 

 never zygodactyle ; fourth toe sometimes versatile ; hind toe de- 

 veloped, elevated or not ; claws very strong in typical forms, weak 

 in the vultures; tibia, and often tarsus, feathered. Primaries 10; 

 tail feathers usually 12. Altricial, but young downy at birth. 

 Carnivorous birds, often of large size and great strength, found in 

 every part of the world. Some of them feed upon carrion, some of 

 the smaller on insects, some on reptiles or fishes, the most of them 

 on mammals and birds which are captured in open warfare. (Lat., 

 raptor, robber.) 



Families of Rap tores. 



a. Head entirely naked (downy in young) ; hind toe short, elevated ; claws 

 small; inner toe somewhat webbed ; nostril longitudinal. 



CATHARTID.E, 152. 



aa. Head nearly or quite fully feathered; hind toe not elevated, its claw large 

 and strong, like the others ; inner toe not webbed ; nostrils vertical or 

 roundish. 



b. Eyes lateral, not surrounded by a disk of radiating feathers; cere ex- 

 posed; outer toe not reversible (except in Pandion). 



FALCONID^E, 153. 

 bb. Eyes directed forward, surrounded by disks of radiating feathers; cere 



concealed by bristly feathers ; outer toe reversible. 



c. Facial disk sub-triangular; middle claw pectinate. . STRIGID^E, 154. 

 cc. Facial disk sub-circular, middle claw not serrate. . BUBONIDJE, 155. 



FAMILY CLII. CATHARTIDuE. (THE NEW WORLD 

 VULTURES.) 



Head and part of neck bare. Eyes lateral ; ears small. Bill 

 lengthened, weak and but little hooked ; nostrils perforate. Wings 

 very long and strong, giving a strength and grace of flight which 

 few birds possess. Hind toe short, and elevated ; front toes long, 

 somewhat webbed, with rather weak and straightish claws. Large 

 turkey-like raptores, without the strength and spirit of the hawks 

 and owls ; " voracious and indiscriminate gormandizers of carrion 

 and animal refuse of all sorts, hence efficient and almost indispensa- 

 ble scavengers in the warm countries where they abound." (Coues.) 

 The vultures are voiceless. On the ground they walk rather clum- 

 sily. When disturbed they eject the fetid contents of their capacious 

 crops. Two species, the Condor and the California Vulture, are 

 among the largest birds of flight in the world. All are American, 

 the Old World Vultures (Vulturince) being vulture-like hawks. 

 Genera 5 ; species 6 or 8. 



