760 



COMPENDIUM OF GEXEEIC DISTINCTIONS. 



longest. Tarsi short and strong, narrow scales in front, 

 rest with small irregular scales. Habitat — Old and New 

 World. 



Sub-fanu'l}/. Polyborinse. — Bill slightly hooked, and 

 waved. Wings long. Tarsi long, slender, and irregularly 

 scaled. 



Genus. Ibtcter.— Bill much compressed, slightly waved, 

 nostrils large, rounded, in fore-part of cere. Sides of head 

 and throat naked. Tail long, broad, and rounded. Wings, 

 fourth quill longest. Tarsi moderate, feathered below knee, 

 scales large in front, rest small. Toes, inner stronger and 

 shorter than outer. Habitat — South America. 



Oemis. MiLVAGO. — Bill rather stout, nostrils with homy 

 tubercle in centre. Wings, third and fourth quills longest. 

 Tail long, broad, and rounded. Tarsi rather long, feathered 

 below knee. Toes, two exterior nearly equal. Habitat — 

 Southern America and Antarctic Islands. 



Genus. Polyborus. — Bill short and much arched, slightly 

 waved near tip, a few hairs on cere, nostrils oblique and 

 narrow. Wings, third quill longest. Tail moderate. Tarsi 

 long, scales on front and behind, divided along their middle. 

 Claws of inner and hind toes largest. Habitat — South 

 America. 



Siib-famil;/. Butsoninae. — Bill short, broad at base, much 

 curved, cere occupying more than half its length. Wings 

 long. Tarsi long, with broad transverse scales in front 

 and behind. Toes rather short. 



Geiuis. BuTEO. — Bill, nostrils large and oval, hairy 

 feathers from base of bill to eye. Wings very long, third 

 and fourth quills longest. Tail moderate and even. Tarsi 

 long, naked, and scaled. Toes, three front joined at base. 

 Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Genus. Archibuteo. — Tarsi feathered to base of toes. 

 Habitat — Many parts of world. 



Suh-famili/. Milvinse. — Bill short and weak, waved, nos- 

 trils at base. Wings long and pointed. Tarsi short and 

 strong. Toes broad and well padded beneath. 



Gemis. Pernis. — Bill curved from base to tip, nostrils 

 long, naiTow, oblique. Wings, third, fourth, and fifth quills 

 longest. Tail long, broad, and rounded. Tarsi, half 

 feathered, rest netted. Inner toe longest. Habitat — 

 Eastern parts of Old Worid. 



Genus. MiLVUS. — Bill straight at base, then curved to 

 tip, margins rather straight ; nostrils oval. Wings very 

 long, third and fourth quills longest. Tail long, rounded or 

 forked. Tarsi very short, feathered, and scaled. Outer toe 

 united at base to middle. Habitat — Old World. 



Ge/ius. Elanus. — Bill broad at base, compressed to- 

 wards tip. Wings very long, second quill longest. Tail 

 long and forked. Outer toe much shorter than inner. 

 Habitat — Most jaarts of world. 



Genus. Elanoides (or Nauclerus). — Wings very long, 

 second and third qiulls longest. Tail long and very deeply 

 forked. Hind toe long. Habitat — South America and 

 Africa. 



Genus. Ctmindis. — Bill much compressed, keel gradu- 

 ally sloping to tip ; nostrils narrow and oblique. Ta3 long 

 and rounded. Tarsi short and strong, plumed and feathered. 

 Inner toe longer than outer. Habitat — Tropical America. 



Geyms. Ictinia. — Bill broad at base, keel arched to tip, 

 upper mandible deeply scooped near tip ; nostrils rather 

 rounded. Wings very long, pointed, third and fourth 

 quills longest. Tail short and slightly forked. Tarsi with 

 transverse scales in front, stnall scales behind. Inner toe 

 longer than outer ; claws sharp and compressed. Habitat — 

 America. 



Suh-family. Falconinse BOl short and curved thi-ough- 



out, toothed on tip ; cere long and rounded. Wings long 

 and pointed. Tail long and rounded. 



Genus. Falco. — Bill strong and toothed at tip ; cere 

 short ; nostrils round, with central tubercle. Wings, 

 second and third quills longest, first and second notched 

 near tip. Tarsi, feathers hanging over knee, covered with 

 small irregular scales. Toes long and powerful. Habitat— 

 Throughout world. 



Genus. Htpotriorchis.— Tarsi long and slender, large 

 hexagonal scales in front. Rest like Falco. Habitat — 

 Throughout world. 



Genus. Ieracidea. — Wings moderate, second and third 

 quills longest. Tarsi as Hypotriorchis. Hind toe rather 

 short. Habitat — Australia. 



Genus. Tinnunculus. — Tarsi long, strong, with trans- 

 verse hexagonal scales. Rest like Falco. Habitat — Most 

 parts of world. 



Genus. Harpagus. — Bill compressed, two teeth at tip. 

 AVings moderate, third, fourth, and fifth quills longest. 

 Tail moderate and rounded. Tarsi moderate, slender, 

 transverse scales in front. Two exterior toes unequal. 

 Habitat — South America. 



Suh-family. AccipitrinaB. — Bill short, much arched, and 

 deeply wave'd. Wings mostly long. Tail large. Tarsi long, 

 large scales in front. 



Genus. Astur. — Bill broad at base, generally compressed 

 to tip, festooned in middle ; nostrils large and oval, in cere. 

 Wings very long, third, fourth, and fifth quills longest. 

 Tarsi rather long, large scales in front and behind. Inner 

 and hind toes equal. Habitat — Throughout world. 



Genus. Accipiter. — Bill very short, much compressed ; 

 nostrils in fore part of cere, partly hidden by hair-like 

 feathers. Wings moderate, fourth and fifth quills longest. 

 Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Genus. Melierax. — Cere occupying nearly half of bill. 

 Wings long, third, fourth, and fifth q^jills longest. Tarsi 

 long. Habitat — Africa. 



Sub-fmnili/. Circinse. — Bill moderate, short, and curved. 

 Tarsi mostly long and slender, and toes short. 



Genus. Serpentarius. — Bill broad and elevated at base, 

 sides compressed at tip. Wings long, blunt spur on shoulder, 

 third, fourth, and fifth quills longest. Tail very long, 

 wedge-shaped, two middle feathers projecting. Tarsi very 

 long, large scales in front. Toes very short, all front toes 

 joined at base, hind toe extremely short and rather elevated, 

 all covered above with transverse scales. Round ej-es the 

 skin is naked. Habitat — Africa. 



Genus. CiRCOS. — Bill festooned on margins ; nostrils 

 large, oval, and partly hidden by hairy feathers. Wings 

 long, third and fourth quills longest. Tail long and 

 rounded. Tarsi long and compressed, large scales on outer 

 sides, small on inner. Outer toe longer than inner; claws 

 long and slender. Habitat — Throughout world. 



Suh-order. ACCIPITRES NOCTURXI.— Eyes set more 

 or less in front of the head, and surrounded witli a radiating 

 circle, more or less perfect, of stiff hairy feathers. 



Family. STRIGID.a;.— Bill small, much arched, sides 

 compressed, base hidden under hairy feathers, tip much 

 hooked. Tail broad. All plumage very downy. Tarsi 

 feathered to toes, which are either feathered or haired ; 

 claws long and sharp. 



Sub-family. Surniiise. — Head small, no feather tufts ; 

 facial disc imperfect over eyes. 



Genus. Surnia. — Bill nearly hidden by plumes, nostrils 

 entirely concealed. Wings long and pointed, third quill 

 longest. Tail long and wedge-shaped. Tarsi short, illumed. 

 Toes short, plumed. Habitat — Northern Europe and 

 America. 



Genus. Nyctea. — Bill as Surnia. Wings rather long, 

 third quill longest. Tail short and rounded. Tarsi and 

 toes short, strong and densely plumed, claws very long and 

 curved. Habitat — Arctic circle. 



Genus. Athene. — Bill much as preceding. Wings long 

 and rounded, third and fourth quills longest. Tarsi rather 

 long, plumed ; toes short and hau-ed, claws long and sharp. 

 Habitat — Warm portions of both hemispheres. 



Sub-family. Bubouliiae. — Head large, flat at top, two 

 feathery tufts or "ears" on the sides ; facial disc imperfect 

 above eyes. 



Genus. Ephialtes. — Bill moderate, base broad ; nostrils 

 round, and placed in fore part of cere. Wings long, second, 

 third, and fourth quills longest. Tail short. Tarsi rather 



