Binns OP PREY. FALCONS. 287 
exist, there also these deadly enemies are to be found. 
From the arctic regions to the most southern limits of 
Australia, and from the western shores of Africa to 
the vast forests of Brazil, different races of the falcons 
abound; and yet there arc very few species which in- 
habit widely remote countries. Some of those whose 
chief metropolis is in Europe, extend their range to the 
most northern parts of the new world, and even spread 
in the contrary direction to the more temperate latitudes 
of Asia ; but the species of tropical America are totally 
different from those of western Africa, although many 
of these latter extend their range to the Cape of Good 
Hope, and some few appear, also, to be inhabitants of 
India. We are by no means satisfied of the truth of 
the assertion, that certain species, inhabiting New Hol- 
land, are specifically the same as their counterparts in 
Europe ; but this much is certain, that Australia, no 
less than southern Africa, possesses species peculiar to 
their respective regions. From the first of these coun- 
tries we have a hawk of a pure white colour, and a 
noble eagle, feathered to the toes, possessing the un- 
usual peculiarity of a wedge-shaped or cuneated tail. It 
is observed that falcons are invariably much more nu- 
merous on continents than on islands : they love a wide 
extent of country, which is not only congenial to their 
habits, but absolutely essential to a fitting supply of 
daily food. The plumage of these birds, although des- 
titute of a bright or gay assemblage of colours, is, in 
many instances, particularly elegant. The upper parts 
are generally of different shades of brown or slate colour ; 
sometimes, as in the lesser American lalcons, of a bright 
rufous, variegated with spots : the under plumage has 
generally a white ground, often beautifully marked with 
pear-shaped spots, or transversely banded with narrow 
parallel lines of grey. The eye is deep sunk in the 
head ; and the bone which supports the eyebrows, both 
in this and in the owl family, is unusually prominent. 
(238.) Such are the chief distinctions of the family 
before us ; — a family whose natural arrangement has 
