



Order I. ACCIPITRES. 



Family II. Falconim;. 



The sixth Subfamily, 



ACCIPITRINiE, or Sparrowhawks, 



have the Bill short, much arched from the base to the tip, which is acute, the sides compressed, 

 and the lateral margins greatly festooned ; the Wings generally long ; the Tail ample ; the Tarsi 

 lengthened, and shielded in front ; the Toes of various lengths, and generally slender ; and the Claws 

 long and very acute. 



Astur Lacep.* 



BUI short, broad at the base, and with the sides gradually compressed to the tip ; the culmen elevated 

 and much arched to the tip, which is acute, and the lateral margins festooned in the middle ; the 

 nostrils large, suboval, and placed in the basal cere. Wings long, reaching to the middle of the tail, 

 with the third, fourth, and fifth quills nearly equal and longest. Tail long and broad. Tarsi rather 

 longer than the middle toe, the anterior and posterior sides covered with broad transverse scales. Toes 

 more or less lengthened, strong, and padded beneath each joint; the lateral toes unequal ; the inner and 

 hind ones equally long and strong, and armed with long strong curved claAvs. 



They are found scattered throughout the world, and are generally observed in wooded districts, but are sometimes 

 seen in mountainous countries. Their flight is very rapid ; and they always strike their prey while on the wino\ They 

 often lurk about poultry yards, destroying the stock contained in them. Wild ducks, and others of the feathered tribe, 

 as well as hares and rabbits, form their principal food. The nests of these birds are generally placed on lofty trees ; and 

 the female lays from two to four eggs. 



1. A. palumbarius (Linn.) Bechst. PI. enl. 418. — Falco galli- 

 narius Gmel. PI. enl. 461. 423. ; F. gentilis Linn. ; F. albescens 

 Bodd. ; Accipiter Astur Pa/l. Zoogr. t. 1 1. 



2. A. atricapillus (Wils.) Amer. Orn. pi. 52. f. 3., Faun. Bor. 

 Araer. pi. 26., Jard. & Selby's 111. Orn. pi. 121.— Falco palumbarius 

 Pr. Bonap. Amer. Orn. pi. 10. f. 1. ; F. regalis Temm. PI. col. 495. ; 

 Dsedalion pictum Less. 



3. A. Novce Hollandiee (Gmel.) Vig. & Horsf. White's Journ.Bot. 

 Bay pi. p. 250-, Birds of Austr. pi. — Falco albus Shaw; Jard. & 

 Selby's 111. Orn.pl. 1.; F. leucaetos Forst. Desc. Anim. p. 70. 

 et Icon. ined. 35. ; Spizaetus niveus Vieill. ; Danlalion candidum 

 Less. ; Astur Rayi Vig. Sj Horsf. ; F. clarus Lath, ex Lamb. Icon, 

 ined. ii. pi. 5. ; Type of Leucospiza Kaup (1844). 



4. A. melanoleucus A. Smith, S. Afr. Quart Journ. 1.22.0, 111. 

 of Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 18. 



5. A. approxlmans Vig. & Horsf. Linn. Tr. xv. 181 Astur 



fasciatus et F. radiatus (nee Lath.) Vig. Sf Horsf. PI. col. 123. 



6. A.cruentus Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1842. p. 113., Birds 

 of Auslr. pi. 



7. A. polyxonus A. Smith. 



8. A. trivirgatus Temm. PI. col. 303. — Astur cristatus G.R. 

 Gray ; Type of Lophospiza Kaup (1844). 



9. A. ? radiatus (Lath.) Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp. pi. 121. ex Lamb. 

 Icon. ined. pi. i. 38. — Haliaetus Calei Vig. § Horsf. 



10. A. unduliventris (Riipp.) Faun. Abyss. 1. 18. f. 1. 



11. A. seocfasciatus Swains. Two Centuries, and a Quarter, p. 

 2S2. 



12. A. nitidus (Lath.) — Falco striolatus Temm. PI. col. 87. 294.; 

 Asturina cinerea Vieill. Gal. des Ois. t. 20., Azara No. 37. ; Type of 

 Asturina Vieill. (181 6). 



* Established by Lace'pede {Mem.de I'Inst.) in 1800 or 1801. In 1809, Savigny proposed Dcedalion ; in 1816, Vieillot used 

 Sparnins ; while, in 1844, M. Kaup has formed two divisions, viz. Leucospiza et Lophospiza, which I consider to be coequal with the one 

 employed. It also embraces Asturina of Vieillot (1S16), and Rupornis of M. Kaup (1844). 



