FALOOXID.K-TIIE FALCONS. 



191 



tliiiii, oqiiiil 1(1, iM' Iriiijrcr thnii, llic fimrlli ; two niiti-r luiiiiarii's witli inner wclis sinnatcd. 

 Tiiil Willi liii' oMtiM- pair of fisilliers nioro ihiui twice us l()n,i< as the miiMie piiii-. 



Tilt! MC'iuis coiitiiiiis but 11 siiiiflc species, tlie X. /(ir/initiis, wliicli is |)Ci'ii- 

 liiiily Amoriciiii, lieloiifiinf,' to tlio tropical luiil sulitropiciil ])ortions on l)otli 

 sides of the equivtor. The sjiecies is noteil for the eli';j;ance of its form and 

 the beauty of its pliiiiia<,'e, as well as for the unsurpassed easy grac ' ' aess 



62094, 3 . 



Nmulerus forficatus. 



of its flight. It has no near relatives in the Old World, though the widely 

 distributed genus Milvus represents it in some respects, while the singular 

 genus Chelictima, of Africa, resembles it more closely, but is much more 

 intimately related to Ictinui and Ulamis, 



Species. 

 N. forficntuis. Head, neck, entire lower surface, and band across the 

 rump, imniaculate snowy-wliite ; upper surface plain polished blackish, with 

 varying lights of dark puriilish-bronze (on the back and shoulders) and 

 bluish-slaty, with a green reflection in some lights. Ymtnrj, with tusky 

 shaft-streaks on the head and neck, and the feathers of the upper part,s 

 margined with white. Wing, 1. 5.40 - 17.70 ; tail, 12..'i0 - 14.50 ; culmen, 

 .70 -.80; tar.'JUi^, 1.00-1.30; middle toe, 1.1.") -1.20. Hab. The whole of 

 tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate America. Accidental iu Eng- 

 land. 



