170 
AVES. 
The Asturines {Asturina, Vieillot) — 
Have been generally placed next. They have the nostrils lunulated ; the bill straight at its base ; 
wings short, and the tarsi also short and somewhat slender. 
A. cinerea, Vieillot, a species from Guiana, may be cited in exemplification.] 
The Hawks {Astur, Bechstein ; Doedalion, Savigny), — 
Which form the second division of the IgnoUes, have wings shorter than the tail, as in the last three 
tribes of Eagles ; but their beak curves from its base, as in all that follow. 
The Goshawks {Astur, as restricted)— 
Have the tarsi [more distinctly] scutellated, and comparatively short. 
The European Goshawk {F, palumbarius, Lin.), equals the Jer Falcon in size, but always stoops obliquely on its 
quarry. Falconers, however, sometimes use it for the weaker kinds of game. It is common in the hilly andf 
secondary mountain ranges of Europe. * 
Among foreign Goshawks, we may notice that of New Holland (F. Novee Hollandice, White), which is ofteiif | 
entirely snow-white ; but it appears that these white individuals constitute a variety only of a bird of the samel : t 
country, pale ash-coloured above, white below, with vestiges of pale undulations. . If i 
We may approximate to the Goshawk certain American Birds, with short wings and tarsi, the latter! 1 
reticulated. [These are | ' 
The Nicaguas {Herpethotheres, Vieillot; Dcsdalion, Vigors), — ’ 
A strongly characterized division, interesting, as presenting evidently a modification of the peculiar ^ 
Osprey type, to which genus they alone appear to be allied. It is particularly desirable, therefore, that ^ j| 
their anatomy should be ascertained.] | 
The Nicagua of Azara, or Laughing Falcon, (F. cachinnans, Lin.) ; so named from its cry. From the marshes of 
South America, where it preys on reptiles and fish. [Its colouring, and the texture of its plumage, are the same ^ 
as in the Osprey ; and it has similar short feathers on the tibia. F. ntelanops, Lath, and F. sufflator, Lin., apper- 
tain to this division ; the latter, however, constituting the restricted Physeta of Vieillot.] | 
The Sparrow-hawks {Nims, Cuv. ; \Accipiter, Ray] ) — 
Have longer and more slender tarsi than the Goshawks, [still shorter wings, and the middle toe muchj|; 
lengthened] ; but the passage from one to the other of these divisions is almost insensible. 
Our common Sparrow-hawk {F. nisus, Lin.) has the same colouring as the Goshawk, but is much less in size ; !" 
notwithstanding which it is employed in falconry. There are foreign species still smaller ; but also some that are jj 
much larger, as j 
The Chaunting Hawk {F-. musicus, Daud.), — a native of Africa, where it pursues Partridges and Hares, and L 
builds in trees. It is the only bird of prey known that sings agreeably, [by which, however, cannot be meant that I 
it infiects the voice, as in those Passerine Birds which have additional laryngeal muscles. This bird,— and there is 
more than one species here confounded,— has a much weaker bill, and longer wings, than the true Sparrow-hawks ; 
it has probably been made the type of a separate division. 
The Gymnogenys of Vieillot may also be introduced here. It is a Hawk with very long wings, lengthened and 
distinctly scutellated tarsi, and short toes, but the most distinctive character of which consists in its being naked 
above the bill and on the cheeks. The only species, G. madagascariensis, is grey, with round black spots on the 
wings, and the lower parts below the breast transversely rayed : it bears some resemblance to the Secretary. 
The species of Hawks displays the maximum sexual disparity of size, in favour of the female.] 
The Kites {Milvus, Bechst.) — 
Have short tarsi, and feeble toes and claws, which, added to a beak equally disproportioned to their 
size, render them the most cowardly of the whole group : they are further distinguished by their 
excessively long wings, and by their forked tail, in consequence of which their flight is very swift 
and easy. 
Some have th-e tarsi very short, reticulated, and half-feathered above, like the last small tribe of j 
Eagles : [their claws, save that on the middle toe, are rounded underneath]. Such are 
The Elanets {Elanus, Savigny). 
The Black-winged Elanet {F. melanopterus, Daud.) ; a common species from Egypt to the Cape, and which | !} 
appears to be found in India, and even in America. [The American and New Holland species are distinct.] jj| 
Insects are almost its sole prey. v i| 
The Swallow-tailed Glede {F.furcatus, Lin.).— Larger than the preceding, [with wings excessively long, and tail 4, if ' 
