KALCOXID.E — THE FALCOXri. 



159 



SunoKNLs TINNUNCULUS, Viiciu-ot. 



Tininim-itlun, ViKll.l.. 1S(I7. (Tv)"', F't'oi tiiiiiiinndus, Liss. Tinnniiculiis alaurlnriK.i, 



(ivi;i..) 

 .' Tirhin-iiis, K.vri', 1844. (Tvjir, F((/ci> cfiirliri.i, Nai'.m.) 

 Pm-i/(iniis, K.vii', 1844. (Tyi)c, luilm apurci'i-iiis, Linn.) 



Till! flianR'tur.s of this sii1),t,'eini.s liavo Imuii sufliciently defined in tlio 

 diagiiu.si.s on piigo 1427, so tliut it will lie necessary for me only to add a 

 icw less inipoitant ones. 



The sid)genus Titnnnicii/Hs is one Avliieh is well characterized hy pecu- 

 liarities of manners and habits as well as liy leatures of structure. The 

 species are the most arboreal of the Falcons, and their curious habit of jioisinj,' 



53198 ,'P 



/ 





63108,^. 



'A' 



i'^v^ 



53188,? , 



53198 .^ 



Tliinunculus spaneriiis. 



in a fixed position as they hover over some object of food whicli they are 

 watchin- is probably peculiar to them, and has been remarked of the Old 

 AVorl.l as well as of the American species. In their structure they are the 

 most aberrant members of the subfamily belonjrinsr to the Northern Hemi- 

 sphere and in their weak bill and feet, lengthened tarsi, obtuselv tipped 

 (imlls, mon; rounded wings, and more lengthened tail, exhibit a decided step 

 toward I/umcirhu, an Australian genus which is almost exactly interme.liate 

 in all the characters of its external structure between the true Falcons ami 

 the South American genus Milmjo, of the I'olyborine group. 



The subgenus is most largely developed in the old World, whei'e are 

 iound about a dozen nominal species, of which perhaps one half must be 



