NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



RAPTORES.'— The Biiios of Tuky. 



The group of birds usually kuowu as the lia/itorrs, or Itapacious Uirds, 

 cniliraccs three well-uiarked divisious, namely, the Owls, the Hawks, and the 

 Vultures, in former classificatiuiis they headed the Class of liirds, l)eiu<; 

 honored with this ])osition in conse(iuence of their jwwerful organization, 

 largo size, and ])redatory habits. But it being now kiuiwn that in structure 

 tiiey are less perfectly orgauizcnl tlian the Pas.'^cirs and Sfrisorr.% liirds gener- 

 ally far more delicate in organization, as wellas smaller in size, tiiey occupy 

 a iilace in the more recent arrangements nearly at tlic end of tiie Terrestrial 

 forms. 



The complete defniition of the order Iiii/)for('.'i, and of its subdivisions, 

 re(itiires the euunafration of a great many characters; and that their distin- 

 guishing features may lie more easily recognized by the stuilent, I give tirst 

 a l)rief diagnosi.s, including their sinii)lest characters, to lie followed by a 

 more detailed account hereafter. 



C(iMM(i>j CiiAiiACTKiiS. Bill liookcd, tliL' ii]ippr niaii(lilil(i rmnisliCMl at tlio bnsc with a 

 .sfift skill, (ir "ci'iv," ill wliic.'li tlio iio.-^ti'il.'J are .•^itiiatnl. Toes, tlii'cc liel'oix' ami one bcliiiid. 



UlljlfofCS, 



Strigidae. I'lycs dirccleil I'oi-wai'ils, anil siirroumU'il by nuliiitiiif; foatlior.'s, 

 which arc iKiundcd, except anterioily, by a eirele or rim of (hUereiitly formed, 

 .still'rr featheis. Oiilei' too rpversibk'. Claw.s iiiui'h huokeil ami very .sharp. 

 I.i'.ir.s and t(>es usually lealhercd, or, at k'ast, eoated willi liristles. T/ie Oii'l.i. 

 Falconidae. l^yes lateral, and not surrounded liy radiatini; I'eatliers. Outer 

 foe not reversible (except in I'tnidiiiii). Claws usually hooked and sharp, 

 but variable. Head more or les-! eoiupletely leathereil. Tlie Ilatrka. 

 Cathartidae. f]yes lateral; whole head naked. Outer toe not reversible; 

 claws sli^^ditly curved, blunt. The VnHitrcs. 



The ])rc('eding character.^, tliougli imrely artificial, may nevertheless serve 

 to distinguish the tlnc(! i'amilii'S ol' 7w^y>/(jn'.s' belonging to the Xortii American 

 Or,n-< ; a nmre sciciitilic diagnosis, embracing a sidhcient number of osteo- 

 logical, and accoiu}iaiiyiiig aiiatumical characters, will be found fmther on. 



' Tlio whole of tlio systcniatic portion of the articlo on tlio R'iplnrri, has liciMi prepared by ^[|•. 

 liiduway ; th • bio:»rapliic.i, however, are Curiiished by Dr. Hrewer, as usual. Tin' outliiie.s of tin? 

 skull:; a:!il i.icriia of tlii^ S'rijiila; the skulls, stcM'iia, and heads of the Cathnrliiiv, and the generic 

 outlhies of the Fit/aiiiii/ii- and tUllniiiiiln; w<'ro drawn by Jlr. Itidyway. — S. V. li.viai). 



VOL. ill. 1 



