228 



ceeding it a series of diagnoses explaining the reasons whdeli justify 

 such a classification :* 



1 Fornyad anordning av Dagrovfoglarna (Dispositio nova Accipitrum Hemeroharpagorum). Ofersigt af 

 Kongl. Vetenskaps Akhdemiens Fordhaudlingar 1874. Ko. 2. Stockholm. 

 * " Suborder." 



A. — Scapular process of the coracoid produced forward so as to meet 

 the clavicle.t Nasal bones almost completely ossified, the nostril 

 being a small, usually circular, opening, with a conspicuous, usually 

 centraljbony tubercle-l Inferior surface of the supramaxillary with 

 a prominent median angular ridge. Superciliary process of the 

 lachrymal consisting of a single piece.§ Subfamily Falconince. 



B. — Scapular process of the coracoid not produced forward, but separated 

 from the clavicle by a wide interval. || Nasal bones very incom- 

 pletely ossified, the nostrils large, without bony tubercle, and 

 frequently with an incomplete septum. Inferior surface of the 

 supramaxillary without median ridge.fl Superciliary process of 

 the lachrymal usually consisting of two pieces, joined by a cartil- 

 aginous hinge.** Subfamily Buteoninoe. 



* It ii3 proper to explain here that the key to the leading character was furnished by Pro- 

 fessor Huxley in the paper before leferred to (p. 464), in the following words : "The scap- 

 ular process of the coracoid sometimes is * [ * e.g., in the Falcons proper, and is Polyborus^ 

 and sometimes is not produced to the clavicle" — having reference to the family FalconidcE. 

 Following up this clew by examining the coracoid apparatus of every genus available, I was 

 surprised to find it to be a character which separated trenchantly not only the "Falcons 

 proper" {=Falcones) and Polyborus, but also all the genera related to the latter, besides Mi- 

 crastur and Herpetotheres, from all other Falconidce. 



t See Plate XI, Figs. 1-4. 



X Except in Micrastur. (See Plate XII, Fig. 4.) 



§ See Plate XIII, Figs. 1-4. 



II See Plate XI, Figs. 5-11. 



il In Fig. 6, Plate XII, the tomium of the supramaxillary is so deeply sinuated as to 

 allow the middle portion of the under surface to be seen from the side ; but this has no anal- 

 ogy to the raised median ridge of the falconine forms. 



** The exceptions are the Pandiones (Pandion) and Pernes (Elanoides, Cymindis, Regerhi- 

 nus,Aviceda, Baza, &c.), in which this bone much resembles that of the Polybori, as showa 

 in Figs. 6 and 7, Plate XIII. 



