( 20 ) Accipitres. (Diurnce.) 
The Nobiles, or Falcons properly so called, are the jnost 
courageous in proportion to their size, a quality which proceeds 
from the strength of their heak, talons, and wings. Their heak, 
curved from its hase, has a sharp tooth on each side of its point; 
and -the second pen feather of their wings is the longest, the first 
being also nearly as long, which renders the entire wing longer, 
and more pointed. Some peculiar habits result from this. The 
length of the pen feathers weakens their vertical effort, and renders 
their flight in a calm atmosphere very oblique forwards^ which 
obliges them, when they wish to rise in a straight line, to fly 
against the wind. These are the most docile of aU birds, and the 
most serviceable in the art of Jf^dconry; being taught to pursue 
the game, and to return when cafled. They all have their wings 
as long or longer than the tail, (j ) 
Falco Communis, Gm. (the Common Falcon, Yearling Falcon, 
Haggard Falcon, Lath.) — Falco Subbiiteo, (Hobby Falcon, Latli.) 
etc. etc. 
The Sacred Falcons have the pen feathers of the wings as in 
oihev Noble Birds, all of whose inclinations they also evince; but 
their beak has only a festoon, like that of the Ignoblles. Their 
tail, long and spread, evidently surpasses their wings, although 
the latter are very long. Their short and reticulated tarsi are 
covered with feathers one third of their length. Falco Can- 
dlcanSy (Speckled Partridge Hawk, Lath.) 
The Ignoblles (so called because they cannot well be employed 
in falconry,) are a more numerous tribe than that of the Nobiles, 
and more necessary to subdivide. The longest pen feather of 
their wings is almost always the fourth^ and the first is very short, 
which produces the same effect as if their wing had been obliquely 
chopped off at the end, whence a weaker flight ensues. In all 
other respects they are equal, except that their beak is not so 
well armed, because there is no lateral tooth near its point, but 
only a slight festoon in the middle of the length. 
(1) Beak strong; very short; inferior mandible sloped; nostrils 
wide ; feet strong ; toes strong, armed with curved and sliarp nails ; 
the first remex of the wing short, of equal length with the third, the 
second the longest. They nourish themselves with living prey, 
without ever feeding upon dead, and shew much address either in 
seizing or surprising it: they pursue birds at full speed, or fall perpen- 
dicularly upon them ; and like to nest in rocks or in ruins of houses. — 
Tern. 
