AVES. 295 



must continue to be made. Linnseus in 1766, which is the date of the last 

 edition of his Systema NatursB, mentions only nine hundred and forty-seven 

 species. The progress of discovery in ornithology may be inferred from the 

 vast increase of known species since that period ; and there is yet no symptom 

 of cessation or respite, new discoveries being made almost daily. 



The largest and most complete collections of birds in the Avorld are those of 

 the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, of the British Museum, of 

 the Royal Museum at Leyden, and of the Jardin des Plnntes at Paris. The 

 first is probably the most extensive, though the number of species contained in 

 it has not been ascertained. There are upAvards of twenty thousand speci- 

 mens exhibited, which, with the other collections of the Academy, are with 

 great liberality gratuitously thrown open to the public. 



We shall now proceed to give in detail notices of all the families and sub- 

 fimilies of birds nearly as proposed by Gray, and shall also give brief sketches 

 of the principal genera and species, more particularly of those inhabiting 

 North America and Europe, but shall not neglect others ; hoping, upon the 

 whole, to present to the reader a general view of ornithology sufficiently inter- 

 esting to induce him to pursue further the study of this delightful branch of 

 natural history. 



Order 1. Accipitres, or Rapacious Birds, 



Immediately recognised by their strong and hooked bills, their formidable 

 claws, and an organization entirely adapted to the pursuit and destruction of 

 other animals, or to subsisting only upon animal food. These birds ai-e found 

 in all countries, and, although not numerous, are universally known. 



The rapacious birds comprise some of the largest of the whole class, and 

 are by far the most muscular and powerful. They are usually solitary and 

 very retired in their habits, and are more unproductive than any other birds. 

 The female is the larger of the two sexes, and frequently has more handsome 

 plumage. 



This order contains three families, which are the Vultures, the Falcons, and 

 the Owls. 



Fam. 1. VuLTURiD.E, OR A^ULTURES. Head naked; bill more or less 

 strong, sometimes rather long, hooked, and acute ; wings long and pointed ; 

 tail moderate ; tarsi short, strong, covered Avith scales ; toes moderate ; claws 

 weak, but slightly curved. Size large ; body thick and heavy ; region of the 

 crop or craAV usually naked, or covered with Avoolly hair. 



This family presents an assemblage of large birds of remarkably uniform 

 general habits and history. The name vulture has not inaptly been bor- 

 roAved to express features of character Avhich are repulsive in our OAvn race, 

 but Avhich are common to the whole family of useful but disagreeable birds 

 now before us. CoAvardly and excessively voracious, they delight in dead 

 animal matter in all stages of decay and putridity, of their indulgence in 

 which they usually give sufficient evidence in the offensive effluvia which 

 emanate from their plumage. Nevertheless, the uneuAdable tastes of 



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