ORDER I. RAPTRICES. PLUNDERERS 
Bill cerate at the base, with the tip of the upper man- 
dible elongated, tapering, and decurved. Tongue short, 
fleshy, concave above, with the tip rounded or emargi- 
nate ; oesophagus very wide ; stomach large, roundish, 
with the muscular coat thin, the epithelium soft ; intes- 
tine of moderate capacity, being either of ordinary length 
and width, or very long and narrow ; cloaca globular, and 
very large. Trachea nearly uniform, adpressed, with a 
single pair of inferior laryngeal muscles, or none. Eyes 
and apertures of ears generally large. Feet with four 
toes, which are placed in the same plane, padded and 
scabrous beneath ; claws long, curved, and acuminate. 
Plumage full, down copious ; wings large. 
Birds of this order occur in all countries, and are cha- 
racterized by their rapacious habits, solitary disposition, 
great quickness of sight, and powerful flight. They may 
be arranged into three families : Vultuuin^, Falco- 
ning and Striging, representatives of all of which occur 
in Britain. Of the first, however, only a single individual 
is recorded as having been obtained in England. But, 
of the second, nineteen, and of the third ten species, be- 
long to our Fauna. 
FAMILY I. VULTURINiE. VULTURINE 
BIRDS, OR VULTURES. 
Body robust ; neck somewhat elongated ; head of mo-^ 
derate size, or rather small, ovato-oblong. Bill of mode- 
