AVES. 303 



high trees, and it is Avhen rearing their young that they are most destructive, 

 They are destroyed without mercy by our agricultural population, and are be- 

 coming rare, as resident birds, in the more densely populated districts ; but 

 ■when the rigors of Avinter urge them to more excursive habits they are fre- 

 quently met Avith. A smaller species is also occasionally seen in all the 

 Northern States ; it is the broad-winged hawk of Wilson {B. pennsyloaiiicns). 

 It is a handsome plumaged and rather graceful bird, and comparatively harm- 

 less in its habits. 



Of the European species the common buzzard, B. vulgaris {pi. l^^.jig. 8), 

 is the best known. In disposition and general history it is much like the 

 common species of America. It is frequently met with in England and Scot- 

 land, and is disseminated over the whole continent ; it has been obserA^ed to 

 prey upon almost CA-ery description of small animals. 



The genus Archihuteo comprises several fine species Avhieh have the legs 

 completely feathered to the toes, and Avhich are restricted to Europe and North 

 America. Here is classed the black haAvk of AVilson {A. sancti-jo/uoniis, Gm., 

 A. tiiger, Wils.), a common species, though rarely seen in mature plumage, 

 Avhich is perfectly black ; also another Avestern species {A.ferntgrneiis, Licht.) 

 which has recently become knoAvn. 



Closely allied to the American black haAvk, and resembling it in a remark- 

 able degree Avhen in young plumage, is the rough-legged buzzard of Europe 

 {A. lag-op7is), a Avell knoAvn species disseminated over the entire continent, but 

 appearing only occasionally in the south of England. Its history is little 

 known. 



ScA'eral of the South American species of this sub-family are remarkable 

 for a beautiful Avhite and black plumage, such as Buteo mclanops and B. 

 pacilo7iotus ; and one Mexican species is almost perfectly pure Avhite, though 

 the name is not so attractive, being Buteo ghieshreghtU. 



The African and Asiatic species are not numerous. Of the former may be 

 mentioned several first made knoAvn by the celebrated Le Vaillant, such as 

 Circcctns thoracicus and Buteo bacha ; and of the latter, Buteo phtmipes 

 and others. 



iSub-fam. 3. Aquilincp, or the Eagles. Bill moderate, rather lengthened 

 and large, compressed, margins more or less festooned ; nostrils large ; Avings 

 long and generally pointed ; tail long, ample, and usually rounded at the tip ; 

 tarsi and feet very strong, the former more or less feathered, the latter and 

 generally part of the former covered Avith very distinct scales ; claAvs very 

 strong, much curved and acute, that of the inner toe strongest. Size large, 

 flight generally very rapid and vigorous. 



The eagles are distributed over the entire surface of the globe, and the 

 typical species, the golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, Linn. {pi. 105, Jig. 1), is 

 common to the northern parts of both continents ; Avhich is also the case Avith 

 the typical fishing eagle, better knoAvn in the United States as the bald 

 eagle, Haliaetus leucoceplialus, though it is rarely met Avith in the old 

 world. 



The eagles have been celebrated since the earliest times for their 

 extraordinary vigor of flight, their large and graceful figure, and, Ave may 



507 



