1850] Conspectus of the Ornithology of India. 317 



Conspectus of the Ornithology of India, Burma, and the Malayan pen- 

 insula, inclusive of Sindh, Asdm, Ceylon, and the Nicobar islands.* 

 — By E. Blyth, Esq. 



Order II. RAPTORES. 

 Tribe DIURN^.f 



FAM. FALCONIDiE4 

 Subfam. FALCONIN/E. 

 Genus Falco, L. (as restricted). 



A. With longer caudal feathers. § 



* Continued from p. 239, ante. 



f In addition to the obvious external characters which distinguish the diurnal 

 from the nocturnal birds of prey, and the well known differences in the skeleton, 

 the alimentary organs exhibit certain constant differences of structure. Thus the 

 Diurnce have invariably a large craw or dilatation of the oesophagus, and two very 

 minute caeca coli ,• while the Nocturnce with a wider oesophagus have no dilatation 

 of it whatever, and invariably two considerably developed cseca, resembling those of 

 the Meropida, Cuculidce, Trogonidm, and Caprimulyidce. These distinctions are 

 important as being absolute, presenting no gradation from one type of structure to 

 the other. Prof. McGillivray first brought them adequately into notice. 



X The Eagle and Falcon family subdivides most naturally, as we conceive, into 

 ten subfamilies, as follows. 



1. Falconing. Comprising the genera Falco, Hypotriorctiis, Tinnunculus, 



Ieracidea, Hierax,* and Harpagus (?) 



2. Pernin,®. Aviceda, Pernis, Cymindis, and Rostrhamus. 



3. Elanin^e. Elanus (including Gampsonyx), Nauclerus. 



4. Circaetin^;. Circaetus, Cachinna, Hcematornis, Polyboroides, Serpen- 



tarius. 



5. Circin^e. Circus. 



6. Accipitrin^e. Melierax, Ichnoscelis,f Accipiter, Micronisus, Micrastur, 



Astur. 



7. Thrasaetin^e. Pseudastur,% Thrasaetus, Morphnus, Spizaetus. 



8. Aquiline. Entolmaetus, Aquila, Ictinaetus, Hieraetus, Archibuteo, Bu- 



teo, Poliornis. 



9. Haliaetin^e. Pandion (?), Pontoaetus, Blagrus, Haliaetus, Helotarsus, 



Haliastur, Milvus, Ictinia. 



10. Polyborin^e. Milvago, Polyborus, Craxirex, Buteogallus, Urubitinga, 



Ibycter, Daptrius. 

 § This at least is M. Schlegel's arrangement ; but we do not think that his 

 Sacre, Lanner, with the African F. biarmicus, and the Australian F. subniger and 

 F. hypoleucos, and probably others, should rank immediately with the Jer Falcons. 



* Falco semitorquatus, A. Smith, exemplifies, we conceive, another generic type of 

 pygmy Falcons. 



t hchnoscelis, Strickland (1844), is rejected by Mr. G. R. Gray in favor of Gerano- 

 spiza, Kaup (1847). 

 | Type, Fulco pcecilonotus, Cuvier, v. F. scotopterus, Pr. Max. (PL Col. 9). 



2 T 



