212 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



with brown and umber. Dimensions, 1.72 X 1.4;"). No. 2. Ground-color 

 .same as No. 1. Two lar<j;e irregidur blotches ol' dark brown and umber on 

 the larger end, with smaller confluent blotches and streaks of the same, 

 covering nearly the entire surface of that end ; smaller end nuicli more 

 sparsely spotted with the same. Dimensions, 1.76 X 1.40. JVo. 3. Cirouud- 

 color dirty brown. Tlie entire egg, excei)t the small end, covered with a 

 washing of dark brown, whicli forms dark irregular blotches at various 

 points, as if tlie egg had been painted and then taken in the fingers before 

 drying. Dimensions, 1.5a X 1.55. 



Genus CIRCUS, Lacepede. 



Cimij!, LACifp. 1800, 1801. (Type, Falco mnufinosm, Linn.) 



Pi/(l<ii-ffiis, Kocii, 1816. (Same type.) 



Strif/iceps, noNAP. 1S31. (Type, Falco cyanms, Lisx.) 



G/(iucoj)fcr!i.t; Kait, 1844. (Type, Fahv ciiiemcctts, MdST.) 



Sjiilocirais, Kaim-, 1847. (Typi>, Circus jcinlini, Gdi-LD.) 



Picrocircu.i, Kait, 1851. (Siiiiie type.) 



Sphttcircm am\ Spiziucircus, Kait, 1844 .iiul 1851. (Tj-pe, Circus macropterm, Vieill.) 



(tkn. Char. Form very slender, the wings and tail very long, the head small, bill 

 wciik, and feet .'slender. Faee surrounded by a ruff of stiff, compact feathers, as in the Owls 



Citrm /ii/rfsontiM. 



(nearly obsolete in some species). Bill weak, mueh compressed; the upper outline of the 

 cere greatly ascending basally, and arched posteriorly, the eomini.ssuro with a faint lobe ; 

 nostril ov.il, horizontal. Loral bristles fme and elongated, curving upwards, their ends 

 reaching above the top of the core. Superciliary shield small, but prominent. Tarsus 

 more than twice the middle toe, .slender, and with perfect frontal and posterior continuous 

 series of regular transverse scutellro ; toes slender, the outer longer tUaa the inner j claws 



