FALCONID.E — THE FALCUN.S. 253 



CCIO 



Xosdil nearly circular, with a consi)icnnns (Imt not central or liony) tnliercle; 

 densely bristled below the nostril, aliiiusl to its anterior edge ; orbital region linely bristled. 

 Tarsus very long and slender, nearly twice the length of the middle toe; toes Inoderate^ 

 the onter one decidedly longer than the iinier; claws very long, strong, and sharp, and 

 curved in about one quarter the circuinlerence of a circle. Tiliial leathers short and close, 

 the i)luines scarcely reaching below the joint. Feathers of the forehead, gular region,' 

 sides, and tibia>, with while lllanientous attaclunenis to the end of the shafts. Win-,' 

 very short, much rounded, and very concave beneath ; fourth quill longest; lir.st shorler 

 than ninth; four primaries emarginated, and one sinuated, on inner webs ; live sinuated 

 on outer webs. Tail about two thirds as long as wing, rounded. Outstretched leet 

 i-caching licyond end of tail. 



Tlii.s goiius lias no very near relatives among the American Fnlnmi<la\ 

 nor, indeed, among those of other portions of the world. It i.s, iierluiiis, most 

 closely related to the genus linporuis, of South Americii, from which, how- 

 ever, it is very distinct. It is represente<l l)y a single species, the type of 

 which, supposed to have come from ( 'aliforniii, still remains unique. 



The elongated legs, reaching considerahly l)eyond the rather short tail, the 

 close thigh-plumes, the long tuid extremely acute claws (somewhat like those 

 of Rostrhnmus), with tiie short, rounded, and very concave wing, are its most 

 striking peculiarities, Besides these distinguishing fetituros, the short, thick 

 bill, very deep through the base, and the filamentous attachments to the 

 shafts of the feathers of certain ])arts of the body, are also very characteris- 

 tic. The latter feature may possibly be a mark of immaturity, l)ut 1 ha\e 

 seen nothing like it in other Eaptoirs, and it seems to be more analogous to 

 the nuptial ornaments seen in the Cormorants (Phnlocrocomcklce). 



Species. 



O. gnibeii. Wing, 10.10; tail. 0,50; cuhnen, about .80; tarsii.':, 2.70; 

 middle toe, 1.45; posterior claw, 1,00, it.s digit .80. Immatitrc (?). Uniform 

 grayish-umber, tinged with dull rufous on the neck ; lining of the wing and 

 tibiic dull grayish-cinnamon. Primaries inclim'ng to black, and showing 

 .just discernible, ol.iscure lioary bars on their basal half. Tail brownish- 

 ,gray, witli a hoary cast nearer the .shaft (not paler at tla; tip), and cro.-;sed 

 with nine or ten narrow bars of dusky, these becoming hardly distinguish- 

 able basally and terminally. Inner webs of the primaries plain white an- 

 terior to their emargination. Head laterally and beneath obsoletoly streaked 

 with whitish. Hah. •• California." 



