326 Distribution of the Vulturida, Falconida, fy Strigidce. [Aphil, 



bably its northern limit. It is described by D'Azara as common in 

 Paraguay, but he states it does not pass the 32° of south latitude ; in 

 the intermediate countries it appears to be very abundant. The genus 

 Catkartes, consisting of two species, is also confined to North and South 

 America, its place being supplied in the Eastern hemisphere by the genus 

 Neophron, represented by the Neophron perenopterus, a species common 

 to Europe, Asia and Africa. 



Adding together the species belonging to the different divisions of 

 Vultures, we have thus only eighteen known ; a small proportion when 

 compared either to the Falcons or Owls, but the numbers in which they 

 occur fully compensate for this. The warmer regions of Africa and Asia 

 must be considered as the metropolis of the Vultures, properly so called. 



We now enter upon the second division of the Falconidce, which has 

 been divided by the Baron Cuvier into two grand divisions, viz. the 

 noble and ignoble Birds of Prey ; the former comprehending the 

 Falcons, properly so called, the latter the Eagles, Hierofalco. 



The Falconidce considered as one group, possess very extensive 

 distribution, belonging to our Katholiho-dianamial division, occurring 

 from the 80° of north latitude to the equator, and from the equator 

 to the 55° of south latitude, and in all the intermediate spaces; yet 

 when taken generically, many of them, as in the Vulturidce, have a 

 rather restricted distribution. 



Of the genus Falco, properly so called, we have representatives in 

 all the different continents, but in Europe we meet with the great- 

 est number of typical species ; not one of which, however, is confined 

 to it. Thus of the forty-four species contained in the genera Falco, 

 Hierofalco, Hierax, Harpagus, Lophotes, and Frythropus, nine are 

 found in Europe, of which two are proper to it, belonging, one to the 

 genus * * * the other to the genus Erythropus ; in Asia twelve, 

 five of which are proper, three of these found also in the Indian 

 islands ; in Africa eighteen, eleven of which are proper ; in Australia 

 five, and four proper ; in North America five, and one proper ; and 

 in South America twelve, and of these ten proper. Of the other 

 seven species found in Europe, but not proper to it, three are common 

 to Europe and Asia, one common to Europe, Asia, and North America, 

 one common to Europe and North America, one common to Europe 

 and Africa, and one common to Europe, Australia(F), North and South 

 America. 



It may be laid down as a well ascertained fact, that birds of temper- 

 ate, and many birds of arctic, countries — that is, those birds which are 

 known to breed there — possess a much wider distribution than those 



* Word illegible in M.S. -Eds. 



