32 BIRDS OF THE HAir.lf/AN GROUP. 



Order RAPTORES.-Birds of Prey. 



Faiinlies. 



Head entirely feathered; no web between the inner and middle toe; hind toe 

 with large sharp claw. 



a. Eyes lateral, not snrrounded by disks of radiating feathers; outer toe not 

 reversible. ( Sub-order Falcones. ) (Page 32.) Falcon'idse. 



aa. Eyes surrounded by disks of radiating feathers ; both eyes diredled forward; 

 cere concealed by loral and frontal feathers (Sub-order Striges); facial disks distinct 

 and extending as far above the eye as below it ; inner toe decidedly shorter than the 

 outer one; first quill shorter than the third (Page 33.) Bubon'idae. 



Family FAI/CON'ID.^.— Falcons, Hawks, Etc. 



Genera. 

 Nostrils not circular, nor linear and oblique ; with the upper end of the nasal 

 opening the anterior one ( Sub-family AccipitrincF ) ; tail not forked ; front of tarsus 

 covered with large transverse scutulae ; claws grooved beneath ; cutting edge of upper 

 mandible not notched; tip of upper mandible produced into a conspicuous hook. 



a. Face encircled by a ruff of short stiffened feathers, as in the owls. 



(Page 32.) Circus. 



aa. Face not encircled by a ruff; tail not more than two-thirds the length of the 

 wing ; primaries exceeding the secondaries by much more than the length of the tarsus 

 in front; wings more than four times as long as the tarsus (Page 33.). Bllteo. 



Gknus circus Lacepedk. 



Male: Above dull blue-grey, darker and inclined to brownish on the head, baclc 

 and scapulars; the neck somewhat mottled with buffy white; facial ruff ashy grey; 

 chin whitish ; throat, sides of neck and breast dull greyish ; rest of under parts white; 

 tail bluish grey; upper tail coverts white. Fe^nale: Above dusky brown ; head and 

 neck streaked; the lesser wing coverts spotted; feathers of rump edged with rusty; 

 facial ruff buffy white streaked with dark brown ; tail ashy grey with five bars of dark 

 brown, the interspaces more or less rufous; under surface of body buffy white with 

 broad streaks of brown on the breast, thighs and abdomen. Young: Above ashy brown 

 or blackish brown with rufous margins to the feathers ; wing coverts spotted with deep 

 rusty ; ear coverts uniform bright dark brown ; feathers of the disks browner ; lower 



parts rich rusty ochraceous, paler posteriorly. Length 19.50-24.00, wing 12.90-16.00, 



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