﻿ANALOGIES OF THE FALCONID^E. 2^)5 



serve that they are distinguished from all the rest of 

 their family by those very characters of the Trochilidce 

 which we have just enumerated. In Cymindis and 

 Nauclerus the bill is small, but the upper mandible is 

 remarkably long in the curve it takes over the lower : 

 the wings equal those of the buzzards, but the feet are 

 formed upon a totally different model : the tarsus is 

 not so long as the hind toe and its claw : the two lateral 

 fore toes are of equal length, and the middle one is 

 scarcely a quarter of an inch longer. Compare a foot, 

 thus constructed, with that of an ordinary raptorial 

 bird, and the difference will appear so very striking, 

 that the analogy of the kites to the Trochilidce will 

 immediately be admitted. Two other groups now only 

 remain for comparison, the eagles and the gallinaceous 

 birds. What, it may be asked, are the chief distinc- 

 tions of these two groups, when viewed in reference to 

 those of their respective allies? They are obviously 

 these : — great bulk of body ; comparative shortness of 

 wings, accompanied by an incapacity for rapid flight, 

 or swift evolutions ; very thick legs ; and ornamental 

 crests upon the heads of many species. All these pecu- 

 liarities more or less belong to the eagles, and they are 

 some of the chief distinctions of the rasorial birds. It 

 is only among the Aquilce, or their representatives, that 

 we find any crested birds of prey, or any which partake 

 of vegetables as a part of their diet. The lofty flight, 

 indeed, of some of the species has become proverbial; 

 but it is equally notorious that they chiefly live upon 

 animals which are seized upon the ground, their wings 

 not being calculated for that celerity of flight and 

 quickness of evolution which enable so many other ra- 

 pacious birds to pursue and capture their prey while it is 

 flying. Hence the greater part of the eagles feed upon 

 quadrupeds, which they can easily overtake, and which 

 their great superiority of strength enables them to con- 

 quer. To expatiate farther upon this subject will now 

 be needless. We may consider the group as now proved 

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