4 
FALCO COOPERII. 
That division of the feathered tribe popularly called 
birds of prey, has always been recognized as a separate 
and well defined group. In the Linnsean System they 
form the order Accipitb.es, and were, by that father 
of the science, distributed into three great natural 
divisions, which comprise nearly, if not quite, one- 
fifteenth part of all the known species of birds. The 
ulterior arrangement of one of these groups, the genus 
Falco of Linne, at present composed of between two 
and three hundred species, has much divided the opinions 
of naturalists. From the majestic eagle, the terror of 
the husbandman, to the feeblest hawk, preying on 
grasshoppers, it is undeniable that there exists in all 
these birds a great resemblance in some of the most 
prominent characteristics, which, being found to predo- 
minate in the fish hawk, as well as the kite, and all 
other species of the falcon tribe, however dissimilar, 
indicate their separation as a peculiar family from all 
other birds. But that they are susceptible of division 
into smaller groups of inferior rank, no practical orni- 
thologist will for a moment deny. Whether these minor 
groups shall he considered as trivial and secondary, or 
whether some of them ought not to be admitted as 
distinct and independent genera, is a question that has 
been much agitated, and respecting which ornithologists 
will probably for a long time continue to disagree. 
Equally great authorities might be cited in favour of 
either of these opinions, which, like many others of 
more importance that have divided mankind from the 
beginning of the world, may perhaps after all be 
considered as merely a dispute about words. 
Admitting, however, as seems to be done by all 
parties, that this great genus may be subdivided with 
propriety, we look upon it as altogether a secondary 
question, whether we shall call the minor groups genera, 
subgenera, or sections ; and we deem it of still less 
consequence, in a philosophical view, whether the names 
by which these groups are designated, be taken from a 
learned or a vernacular language. It is our intention 
to pursue a middle course. We are convinced of the 
