BRITISH BIRDS. 



SYNOPSIS. 



The naturalised and domesticated species are distinguished by an 

 asterisk (*). 



CLASS AVES. 

 ORDER I. RAPACES. 



BILL short, strong, compressed, covered at the 

 base with a cere, hooked towards the end: nos- 

 trils open : feet strong", muscular, short, or of 

 moderate length; feathered to the heel or the 

 toes: toes three before and one behind; articu- 

 lated on the same plane, entirely divided, or 

 united at the base by a membrane; rough be- 

 neath; armed with strong hooked claws. 



Gen. /. VULTUR. Bill thick, strong, and deep, base 

 covered with a cere; upper mandible straight, curved to- 

 wards the point; under mandible rounded, straight, and 

 becoming narrower towards the point: head naked, or 

 covered with short down: nostrils naked, lateral, placed 

 near the edge of the cere: feet strong, claws slightly 

 hooked; middle toe long, united at the base to the outer 

 toe: wings long; fourth quill feather the longest, the first 

 short, not equal to the sixth. 

 V. fulvus, Linn. 



Gen. 2. CATHARTES. Bill long, slender, straight, 

 hooked at the end ; cere naked, extending to half the length 

 of the bill ; upper mandible swelled towards the tip : head 

 oblong, naked as well as the upper part of the neck: 



VOL i. a 



