﻿308 



ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 



fig. 100.), the feathers closely and completely cover the 

 entire length of the tarsus. The other group of typical 



^•P®y^^^^\\v^^^K or g amsation a l° ne i s t0 De 

 ^fP/ considered; while, if the 



Asturina of M. Vieillot, which we have not personally 

 examined, is really an eagle, it must be a very aberrant 

 one, possibly representing Cymindis and Aviceda. 



(249.) Following Harpy ia, we place the subgenus 

 Ibycter of Vieillot, of which the Daptrius ater of the 

 same author, in our opinion, is but an aberrant species. 

 The form and general appearance of Ibycter is alto- 

 gether so peculiar that the genus cannot be mistaken. 

 It is remarkable for three characters : 1 . The very slight 

 curvature of its bill {fig- 101.), which more resembles 

 101 ^^SBSSBSlfc tnat °f a g auinace - 



tail. The feet are only of moderate length ; and there is 

 no great strength in the toes and claws, at least in com- 

 parison with what we see in the more typical eagles. M. 

 Vieillot, in fact, classes this bird provisonally with the 

 vultures, merely because it presents " some analogy " 



eagles we arrange under 

 Cuvier's genus Harpy ia, 

 including in it not only the 

 Harpyia destructor as the 

 type, but all those arranged 

 under his genus Morphnus. 

 Of the two remaining ge- 

 nera placed by M. Cuvier 

 in the aquiline group, Cy- 

 mindis, as we shall pre- 

 sently show, has no connec- 

 tion with it, even if its 



ous bird than of an 

 eagle ; 2. The naked- 

 ness of the face, chin, 

 and part of the throat ; 

 and, 3dly, the un- 

 common breadth of 

 its large fan- shaped 



