CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 1. RAPTORES. 
33 
THE AMERICAK MAESH HAWK ATTACKING A FLOCK OF QUAILS, 
birds ; also on house pigeons and poultry. It lays six whitish eggs ; inhabits all Europe. The 
Marsh Harrier, C. rufus, or C. (eruffinosus, inhabits Europe and the North of Africa. Mon- 
tagu's Buzzard, C. Montagui, is also a European species! The Ranivorous Falcon, C. ran- 
ivorus, is found in JSTorth Africa. Other species are Quoi's Buzzard, C. cinereus ; the Black 
AND White Indian Falcon, 0. melanoleucus ; the Long-legged Falcon, C. acoli ; the Black 
Hen Harrier, C. ater ; the Ash-colored Falcon, C. cinerescens ; the Pale-cuested Harrier, 
C. Sivamsonii ; Jardln-e's Hen Harrier, C. Jardinii; the Salvador, Falcon, C. macroj^terus ; 
and the Allied Moor Buzzard, C. o.ssiniilis. 
The American Harrier, or Marsh Hawk, C. Hiidsonius, resembles the C. cyaneus of Europe, 
but it is larger, and its colors are different. It is nineteen to twenty-one inches long ; is of a pale 
gray color, beneath white, with small reddish spots. It is found in all North America. 
Genus HERPETOTHERES : Herpetotheres. — This term signifies repttle-cliaser, and describes 
the habits of the only species, in respect to food ; this is the Laughing Falcon of Guiana and the 
neighboring country, H. cacUnnans — the Macagua of Azara. It is brown and white above, 
and ten inches in length. Its aspect is somewhat owlish. It lives in the borders of fbrests along 
rivers and marshes, where it builds its nest of enormous dimensions. When it sees a man ap- 
proaching its domains, it cries out ma-ca-gua, with a sort of laughing accent. 
Genus ASTUR : Astur. — This includes several species, distributed in various countries, and 
generally called Goshawks. They are distinguished by a slender form, the bill short, curved, 
and festooned; wings moderate; tail long and broad. The Common Goshawk of Europe — Au- 
tour of the French ; Sparviere Terzuolo of the Italians ; Grosser Gepfeilter-FalcJc of tbe Germans 
— A, palumbarms, is twenty-three to twenty-four inches long, the males usually one-fourth less; 
Vol. 11.-5 
