EXPLANATORY NOTE. 



the claw ; 7, the length of the claw of that toe. Thus,, with 

 reference to the Golden Eagle, p. 40 



Male, length 33, extent of wings 72, wing from flexure 24, 

 bill along the ridge 2 T 8 *, tarsus 4, middle toe 2 T 5 , its claw 1 T X ? . 



Of the female there are given only the length from the tip 

 of the bill to that of the tail, and the extent of the wings. 



In the next paragraph are stated some of the more remark- 

 able habits of the species, its distribution, a short description 

 of its nest and eggs, and some other circumstances. 



Then follow the vernacular names by which it is known. 



And, lastly, reference is made to a few works in which 

 the species is described, namely, the Systema Naturae of Lin- 

 naeus, the Manuel d'Ornithologie of M. Temininck, and the 

 British Birds of Mr MacCiillivray. On referring to these 

 works, the student will find references to others. 



A few words now as to Names. The Latin word Avis, 

 which corresponds with the English word Bird, being femi- 

 nine, the Ordinal names employed ought in strictness to be 

 of the same gender. Accordingly, instead of naming the Ra- 

 pacious Birds RaptoreSy as is usual, I call them RAPTRICES. 

 The names of the Families being always adjective, must ne- 

 cessarily agree in gender with the substantive Avis, to which 

 they refer: thus, VULTURINJE, FALCONING, CORVINE, CO- 

 LUMBINE. The generic names ought always to be of Greek 

 or Latin origin. Names formed by giving a Latin termina- 

 tion to a modern word seem ludicrous, and therefore I have 

 not in any case used them, although in a few instances I have 

 adopted from authors such vernacular names as Sula and 

 Gavia, which harmonize in sound with Latin words. Spe- 

 cific names are either adjective, as regalis, pratensis, pileatus, 

 coeruleus, and agree in gender with the generic name to which 

 they refer ; or substantive, in which case they need not agree 

 in gender, as Corvus Monedula, Erithacus Rubecula. When 

 a species is named after a naturalist, it seems best to give 

 the name unaltered, further than by Latinizing its terminal 

 syllable : Motacilla Yarrell-i, Motacilla Brisson-i, Sterna Mac- 

 dovoall-i. 



