Order IV. Aceipitres 117 



but only two species, the Griffon and the Egyptian 

 Vulture (p. 259), occur in Britain, and these as irregular 

 and extremely rare visitors. For the rest of the Order 

 the characteristics are as follows : — The bill is strong 

 and decidedly hooked, with a membranous cere, being of 

 the description usually termed "raptorial" or preda- 

 tory ; the feet, used for grasping prey, are strong with 

 sharp curved claws ; the true leg is often long and 

 conspicuous; while the feet may be feathered to the 

 toes, the fourth being reversible in the Osprey, as in 

 the case of the Owls : over each eye is a bony ridge, 

 which gives the birds a fierce appearance ; the wings 

 are either long (in the forms called by falconers 

 " noble ") or short (in the " ignoble "). The female is 

 larger and finer than the male, though she performs 

 the duties of incubation. The members of this Order 

 have a large crop and are mainly carnivorous, but they 

 also feed on insects ; they are land-birds and fliers by 

 day, while the woolly nestlings remain for a long time 

 in the nest, particularly in the case of Eagles. When 

 fledged the young seldom have the transverse streaks 

 common on the older birds, but shew longitudinal 

 markings instead. 



Family PALOONID^, or Raptorial Birds 



Harriers are now rare birds in Britain, though their 

 migratory habits make it possible that they would 

 re-occupy many former haunts, if properly protected, 

 for they were not uncommon of old. The Marsh 

 Harrier, or Moor-buzzard (Circus ceruginosus), in par- 

 ticular can now hardly be considered more than an 

 accidental visitor, for it only breeds in a few spots in 

 eastern Ireland, unless a chance pair escapes destruction 



