178 il/r. Vigor s's fl«(/ D/. IIorsiielu's Description of the 



inclined to assign it a place among the proverbially slothful and 

 cowardly VulturicUe. The nearest approach to the characters of 

 that family that has come under our observation among the 

 birds of Australia is in the genus Folyboriis of M. Vieillot, the par- 

 tially naked cheeks of which are allied to those of the Vultures. 

 That genus, however, possesses so many characters in common 

 with the Falconidce, particularly with the Fishing Eagles, that it is 

 generally ranked in that family, but at that extremity of it which 

 meets the family now before us. This genus Folyborus is said 

 to assume much of the manners of the J'ultures, and may per- 

 haps be considered as in some degree to supply their place 

 in Australia. ]5ut on this and similar points Ave do not at 

 present wish to hazard an opinion. Conjecture may be allowed 

 in some measure to supply the place of facts, when facts are 

 incapable of being ascertained : but with so early a prospect 

 of having our doubts cleared up upon every subject relating 

 to the zoology of New Holland, it is perhaps more prudent 

 merely to express them. 



Fam. Falconip.e. 



In this family there are many species and manj^ forms in the 

 Australian Fauna. The forms, however, are such as are com- 

 mon to every other part of the world, with the exception of the 

 genus Polyhorus, to which we have just alluded, and which is 

 confined to southern latitudes, although widely distributed as to 

 its longitudinal extent. We may generally observe with respect 

 to the groups of the Falconidce, that they know no bounds as to 

 their geographical distribution. Preying indiscriminately upon 

 all species of the inferior animals, and not being confined, like 

 many other tribes of birds, to a particular or a local food, the 

 different forms that compose the family may readily be con- 

 ceived to be dispersed all over the globe. Their powers of 



flight, 



