

Order I. ACCIPITRES. Family II. Falccwidje. 



The seventh Subfamily, 



CIRCINiE, or Harriers, 



have the Bill moderate, short, with the culmen much curved to the tip, which is hooked ; the sides 

 compressed, and the lateral margins festooned ; the Wings lengthened and pointed ; the Tail long, broad, 

 and even or rounded at the end; the Tarsi usually lengthened and slender; and the Toes rather short. 



Polyboroides A. Smith.* 



Bill broad and elevated at its base, the sides much compressed, and the culmen much curved to the 

 tip, which is hooked ; the nostrils placed in front of the cere, with the opening forming a longitudinal 

 slit. Wings very long, with the third, fourth, and fifth quills the longest. Tail very long, and rounded 

 at the end. Tarsi the length of the middle toe, and entirely reticulated. Toes long and slender, with 

 the outer toe the length of the hind one. The cheeks round the eyes and cere entirely denuded of plumes 

 or hairs. 



The type of this division is found in Madagascar, and in various parts of the continent of Africa. Its habits and 

 manners have not yet been noticed by naturalists. 



P. radiatus (Scop.) Sonn. Voy. Ind. t. 103. — Faloo madagas- 1 boro'ides typus A. Smith. 111. S. Afr. Zool. Birds, pi. 81, 82. 

 cariensis Daud. ; F. gymnogenys Temm. PI. col. 307. ; Poly- | 



Serpentarius Cuv.-\ 



Bill moderate, broad, and elevated at its base, the culmen much arched to the tip, which is hooked, 

 and the sides much compressed ; the nostrils lateral, with the opening large and oblique. Wings long, 

 with the third, fourth, and fifth quills nearly equal and longest ; armed on the shoulder with an obtuse 

 spur. Tail very long, wedge-shaped, with the two middle feathers prolonged. Tarsi much lengthened, 

 slender, covered in front with transverse scales. Toes very short, with the anterior ones united at their 

 base by a membrane ; the hind toe remarkably short and rather elevated ; and all covered above with 

 transverse scales. The lores and space round the eyes naked. 



The type of this genus inhabits the arid plains of Africa, and is said to have been found in the Philippine Islands. 

 They are usually seen in pairs, and are extremely useful for the purpose of destroying serpents, which form their 

 principal food. The bird attacks these reptiles by striking them first with one of its wings and then with the 

 other, frequently tossing them with its pinion into the air, by which means it avoids the bite of the snake, and at the 



* Established by Dr. A. Smith in 1830 (South-African Journal). Seven months afterwards, M. Lesson proposed a division under 

 the name of Gymnogenys for the same type. 



t Cuvier established this genus between 1797 and 1798. It was, however, in I767, proposed under the name of Sagittarius by 

 Vosmaer. It is coequal with Secretarius (1806) of Dumeril ; Gypogeranus (1811) of Uliger, and Ophiotheres (1816) of Vieillot. 



