Adult. 



. 8 RAPTORES. FALCONID^E. 



gins yellowish-white. Quills black, tail wedge-shaped, 

 umber-brown at the base, with the tips yellowish- white, 

 hinder parts mixed with umber-brown. Legs strong 

 and fleshy, of a pale yellowish-grey. The tarsi covered 

 with a rough reticulated skin. The middle toe having 

 four entire scales upon the last point, the outer and 

 inner toes each with three ; hind toe short and strong. 

 Claws blackish-brown, strong, and but slightly curved. 

 In the adult state the whole of the plumage, with the ex- 

 ception of the greater quills, is white ; the space between 

 the bill and eyes covered with a white down ; the base 

 of the bill, forehead, cheeks, and throat, naked, and of 

 a pale flesh-coloured red ; the feathers upon the occiput 

 long and narrow, forming a kind of crest ; irides red ; 

 legs and feet pale grey. 



Family III. FALCONID^. 



The Falconidae, which form the second ti/pical family of 

 the order, may be considered as embracing all those various 

 ^^ birds of prei/'' that feed in the day time, which are ar- 

 ranged by LiNNyEUs and other systematists under the exten- 

 sive genus Falco. In these, the head (except in the species 

 more immediately connecting them with the VuUurida) is 

 clothed with feathers ; the bill is strong and short, much 

 hooked, and in the typical species bending immediately from 

 the base, which is covered with a naked and coloured cere ; 

 the nostrils are lateral, more or less rounded, and placed in 

 the cere ; the legs, which are either naked or feathered to the 

 toes, are of mean length, but muscular and strong, and the 

 tibial joint considerably elongated, to aid as a powerful lever 

 in pouncing their prey. Their front toes are partially united 

 at the base, particularly the outer and middle ones ; and their 

 claws, which are much incurved, are very sharp, and in ge- 

 neral partially retractile. To symmetry of form they unite 



