, THE CaiiASSIFIOATION or BIEDS. 27 1 



Suborder 3. Caihartes, 

 Palate desmognathous ; basipterygoid processes present and 

 large ; spinal feafcher-tract not defined on the neck ; oil-gland 

 present, but nude : tarsi not very elongated ; femoro-eaudal 

 sometimes absent, but semitendinosus and accessory semitendinosus 

 present; youug soon covered with down; basal phalanx o£ 

 third digit not greatly shortened ; no organ of voice ; nostrils 

 perforated through ; lateral toes joined to middle one by a fold 

 of skin ; hallux elevated and supplied by flexor digitorum and 

 not by the flexor hallucis ; no c%ca. 



Suborder 4. Striges. 

 Palate desmognathous ; basipterygoid processes present ; 

 spinal feather-tract well defined on the neck ; oil-gland pre- 

 sent, but nude ;» tarsi not elongated ; femoro-eaudal present ; 

 accessory femoro-eaudal, semitendinosus, accessory semitendinosus, 

 and ambiens absent ; outer toe reversible ; basal phalanx of third 

 digit greatly shortened ; hallux supplied hj flexor hallucis auA 

 not by the_^a;or digitorum ; an organ of voice present ; nostrils 

 not perforated through ; eyes directed forwards. 



There are seven families of Eaptorial Birds, three belonging 

 to the first suborder and two to the second. 



The first family includes all the Palcons ', Eagles, Hawks, 

 and Buzzards, and is accordingly termed Falconidce. The second 

 family contains the Ospreys, and is called from them Pandionidw. 

 The third family, Vulturidce, contains the true Vultures '. 



The second suborder has but one family, termed Oypoge- 

 ranidce, from the generic name of the Secretary-bird ^ 



The third suborder contains only a single family, which is 

 composed of the American Vultures, and is named from the 

 Condor, Sarcorhamphidce. 



The fourth suborder, that of the Owls, contains two families. 

 The first of these is Bvhonidce, and contains the great majority 

 of the species, including the type, the Eagle-owl *. The second 



1 P. 124. ^ P. 127. 



" P. 129. * P. 130. 



