ORDER I. RAPTRICES. PLUNDERERS 



Bill cerate at the base, with the tip of the upper man- 

 dible elongated, tapering, and decurved. Tongue short, 

 fleshy, concave above, with the tip rounded or emargi- 

 nate ; oesophagus very wide ; stomach large, roundish, 

 with the muscular coat thin, the epithelium soft ; intes- 

 tine of moderate capacity, being either of ordinary length 

 and width, or very long and narrow ; cloaca globular, and 

 very large. Trachea nearly uniform, adpressed, with a 

 single pair of inferior laryngeal muscles, or none. Eyes 

 and apertures of ears generally large. Feet with four 

 toes, which are placed in the same plane, padded and 

 scabrous beneath ; claws long, curved, and acuminate. 

 Plumage full, down copious ; wings large. 



Birds of this order occur in all countries, and are cha- 

 racterized by their rapacious habits, solitary disposition, 

 great quickness of sight, and powerful flight. They may 

 be arranged into three families : VULTURIN.E, FALCO- 

 NING and STRIGING, representatives of all of which occur 

 in Britain. Of the first, however, only a single individual 

 is recorded as having been obtained in England. But, 

 of the second, nineteen, and of the third ten species, be- 

 long to our Fauna. 



o 



FAMILY I. VULTURIN.E. VULTURINE 

 BIRDS, OR VULTURES. 



Body robust ; neck somewhat elongated ; head of mo- 

 derate size, or rather small, ovato-oblong. Bill of mode- 



