CLASS.— AVE S OR BIRDS. 



Animals possessed of vertebra, breathing atmospheric air with lungs ; having warm blood, and heart with four 

 chambers — Young hatched from eggs — Month modified into a horny beak without true teeth — Fore limb* 

 developed into wings, must/// clothed with feathers and used for flight; hind limbs always used for 

 standing, or progression on earth or in water. 



Order. ACCIPITRES.— Bill rather compressed (i.e. flattened 

 sideways). Upper mandible sharp and hooked at tip ; base with 

 a bare skin termed the " cere," in which the nostrils are pierced. 

 Wings long and pointed. Feet .strong. Tarsi {i.e. joint between 

 toes and knee) covered with scales. Toes three in front and one 

 behind, the soles rough, and the claws strong and curved. 



Sub-order. ACCIPITRES DIURNI.— Eyes at side of head. 

 Cere large and prominent. Tarsi moderate. 



Family. VTJLTTJRID.5I.— Bill compressed. Tarsi short and 

 with net-like scales. Middle toe longer than tarsus, hinder toe 

 rather elevated, claws blunt. Mostly with down on head and 

 neck, and with a large crop. 



Sub-family. Gypastinae. — Feathered on head and neck. Cere 

 hidden by bristly hairs. 



Genus. Gvpaetus. — Bill long, sharply curved at tip, tuft of 

 bristly hairs from lower mandible. Wings, second and third 

 quills longest and nearly equal. Tail long and wedge-shaped. 

 Tarsi feathered, very short. Front toes united by membrane at 

 base. Habitat. — Mountain chains of Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



Sub-family. Sarcorhamphinae. — Bill long and slender, cere soft, 

 nostrils longitudinal, large and oval. Tarsi long with netted 

 scales ; third toe mostly short and weak, two outer front toes 

 short and connected with membrane. 



Genus. Sakcorieampuus. — Bill moderate, cere about one-third 

 its length, nostrils in middle of cere. Wings, third and fourth 

 quills equal and longest. Tail moderate and even. Tarsi short, 

 feathered below knee, netted. Two exterior toes equal and 

 united with middle by membrane ; hind toe weak. Head, neck 

 and breast bare, fleshy caruncle above nostrils of male. Habitat — 

 Most parts of America. 



Genus. Cathakista. — Bill long, cere two-thirds its length, 

 nostrils in front of cere. Wings long, pointed, third and fourth 

 quills longest. Tarsi short, feathered below the knee and netted. 

 Head and upper part of neck bare. 



Genus. Neophron.— Bill very long and slender, cere two- 

 thirds its length, nostrils near middle of bill. Wings, third quill 

 longest. Tail wedge-shaped. Tarsi moderate, feathered below 

 knee, netted. Toe^ with strong scales above, inner the strongest. 

 Front of head and throat, and the cheeks, bare. Habitat — Africa 

 and India. 



Sub-family. Vulturinae. — Bill long, deeper than broad, cere 

 nearly half its length, tip very sharply curved, nostrils in cere, 

 and oblique. Middle toe longer than tarsi, others much shorter. 



Genus. Vultcr. — Bill large, much arched from cere to tip. 

 Wings, first quill short, third and fourth longest. Tail, shafts 

 projecting. Middle toe united to outer. Feathered ruff on neck, 

 mostly downy crest on back of head, bead covered with down. 

 Habitat — Warm portions of Old World. 

 Vol. II. -3D. 



Genus. Otootps. — Head and neck quite bare, long wattles 

 beneath the ears. Rest like Vultur. 



Gcuus. Gyps. — Bill rather swollen at sides. Head and neck 

 covered with short down, ruff of long pointed, or long downy 

 feathers. Rest like Vultur. Habitat— Warm portions of Old 

 World. 



Family. FALCONID.E.— Bill with partial cere, compressed, and 

 keel curved from cere to tip, winch is much curved and sharp, 

 edges toothed or waved. Wings long and pointed. Tail broad. 

 Tarsi varied and strong, and claws sharp and curved. Head and 

 neck feathered, eyes sunk and overshadowed by brow. 



Subfamily. Aquilinse. — Bill straight at base, and then greatly 

 arched at tip, edges waved; nostrils in front of cere. Tail long 

 and large. Tarsi long, inner toe and claw strongest. 



'• n us. Aquila. — Bill very much curved at tip and sharp, sides 

 much compressed, nostrils large and oblique. Wings, fourth and 

 fifth quills longest and equal. Tarsi feathered to base of toes. 

 Habitat— Most parts of world. 



Genus. Spizaettjs. — Tarsi long and slender. Toes long and 

 powerful, inner much longer than outer, middle and outer united 

 by membrane, all covered with small scales except a few larger 

 at tip. Rest like Aquila. Habitat— Asia, South America and 

 Africa. 



Genus. Herpetotheres (or Cachinn a). — Bill short and arched 

 throughout; nostrils large and round. Wings, third, fourth and 

 fifth quills longest and equal. Tail long and rounded. Tarsi 

 moderate, and tutted. Toes with a few large scales at tips, rest 

 with small scales. Habitat — South America. 



Genus. Cikcaetus. — Bill like Aquila, nostrils large, oblique, 

 an 1 rather oval. Wings like Aquila. Tail loug and even. Tarsi 

 long, feathered below the knee ami netted. Toes short, scaled, 

 outer united to middle. Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Genus. Thrasaetus. — Bill like Aquila, nostrils narrow and set 

 rather crosswise. Wings, fourth, fifth, and sixth quills Iongi -r. 

 Tail long and rounded. Tarsi short, stout, large-scaled in front, 

 small-sealed at side. Toes powerful, small-scaled at base, rest 

 large-scaled. Habitat — Tropical America. 



Gen us. Morphnus. — Bill like Aquila. Wings very long, third. 

 fourth, and fifth quills longest. Tail long and even. Tarsi very 

 long, small-scaled on sides, large-scaled on front and back. 

 Habitat — South America. 



Genus. Pandion. — Bill short and curved from base. Wings 

 reaching to end of tail, second and third quills equal and longest. 

 Tail moderate. Tarsi, short, strong, netted. Toes long, united 

 at base to middle toe, claws much curved. Habitat — Most parts 

 of world 



Genus. Haliaetus. — Bill like Aquila. nostrils narrow and 



