526 



SYSTEM A TIG SYNOPSIS. — EAPTOBES — A CCITITRES. 



a small superorljital shield of a single bone. A beautiful genus of a single species, related to 

 the Old World Mllvus (typical kites) and especially to Nauclerus, with which latter it has 

 usually been associated. 

 ■493. E. forfica'tus. (Lat. forficatus, deejdy forked. Figs. 306, 367.) Swallow-tailed Kite. 

 Adult (J 9 ■ Head, neck, band on nuup, and entire uniler parts, including lining of wings, snow- 

 ii'hite ; back, wings, and tail, glossy black, with vari(jus lustre, chiefly green and vitdet. Bill 

 bluish-black; cere, edges of mandibles, and feet i)ale bluish, the latter tinged with greenish; 

 claws Hght-oolorcd. Length about 24.00, but very variable ; extent 50.00 ; wing 15.50-17.50; 

 tail up to li.SO, cleft more than ^ its length ; tarsus about 1.25 ; middle toe without claw 

 rather less. Young: Similar; less lustrous ; wing- and tail-feathers white-tipped ; feathers of 

 bead and neck pencilled with delicate shaft lines of blackish. This most elegant kite, super- 

 lative in ease and grace of the wing, floats, soars, and dashes over the greater part of America, 

 and even crosses the Atlantic on its buoyant pinions. It is abundant in the Southern U. S., 

 sometimes winging its way to the Middle States, and regularly up the whole Mississippi valley, 

 to Minnesota and Dakota, latitude 49°. Known to nest from Wisconsin and Iowa southward. 

 The nest is placed on a tree, constructed of sticks, hay, moss, etc.; eggs 4-6, whitish, 1.90 X 1.50, 

 irregularly blotched and specked with rusty and chestnut-brown. 



44. Subfamily ACCIPITRINyE : Hawks. 



General form strict, with small head, shortened wings, 

 and lengthened tail and legs. Tarsi approximately e^ual 

 to the tibia in length. Bill short, robust, high at base ; 

 toothless, but usually with a prominent festoon ; no cen- 

 tral tubercle in the broadly oval nostril, nor keel of palate 

 anteriorly. Superciliary shield prominent. Coracoid ar- 

 rangement as in Buteonincc, into which group the present 

 one grades. Wings concavo-convex, the 3d to 6th quills 

 longest, the 1st very short and more or less bowed inward, 

 the outer 3 to 5 emarginate or sinuate on inner webs. 

 Tail quite long, square or rounded, sometimes emargi- 

 nate, nearly equalling the wing in length. Tarsi slender, 

 longer than middle toe without claw, usually extensively 

 if not completely denuded of feathers, and scutellate 

 before and behind. This is an extensive group of 

 medium-sized and small hawks, little if at all inferior in 

 spirit of audacity to the true falcons, though less power- 

 fully organized and in fact conforming in anatomical 

 characters with the BiiteonincE rather than with the FalconincB. In the technic of falconry, 

 the Accipitrin(B are styled "ignoble," because these short-winged hawks rake after the quarry, 

 instead of plunging upon it like the " noble" long-winged falcons. Their flight is swift and 

 dasliing; they capture their prey in open chase with amazing celerity and address, always 

 killing for themselves and disdaining refuse. Their quarry is chiefly birds and quadrupeds. 

 Astur and Accipiter are the typical and principal genera, of which some 50 species (cliiefiy of 

 the former genus) are known, inhabiting most paits of the world. Our representatives ut 

 these genera are easily discriminated, but some exotic species C(umect tliem quite closely. 



Analysis of Genera. 

 length 20 no or less 



Pig. 368, 

 Dixon.) 



-A typical Accipitrine. (From 



Small and mc<linm-size(l 



times booted .... 



Large; length over 20 00. 



Tarsus more extensively denuded, and scutellate, sonie- 



Ace'iplter 17G 



Tarsus less extensively denuded, and scutellate, never booted . . . Astiir 177 



