ANALOeiES OF THE FALCONID^. 
295 
serve that they are distinguished from all the rest of 
their family by those very characters of the Trochihdai 
which we have just enumerated. In Cymindis ^ 
Nauclerus the bill is small, but the upper mandible is 
remarkably long in the curve it takes over the lower : 
the win.^s equal those of the buzzards, but the feet are 
formed upon a totally different model ; the tarsus is 
not so long as the hind toe and its claw, the two lateral 
fore toes are of equal length, and the middle one is 
scarcely a quarter of an inch longer. Compare a foot, 
thus constructed, with that of an ordinary rap tonal 
bird, and the difference will appear so very striking, 
that the analogy of the kites to the Trochthda will 
immediately be admitted. Two other groups now only 
remain for comparison, the eagles and the gamnac^us 
birds. What, it may be asked, are the chief distinc- 
tions of these two groups, when viewed in reference to 
those of their respective allies? They are obviously 
these • — great bulk of body ; comparative shortness of 
wings, accompanied by an incapacity for rapid flight 
or swift evolutions ; very thick legs ; and ornamental 
crests upon the heads of many species. All these pecu- 
liarities more or less belong to the eagles, and they are 
some of the chief distinctions of the rasorial birds. It 
is only among the Aquilie, or their representatives, that 
we find any crested birds of prey or any which partake 
of vegetables as a part of their diet. The lofty flight, 
indeed, of some of the species has become proverbial; 
but it is equally notorious that they chiefly live upon 
animals which are seized upon the ground, their wings 
not being calculated for that celerity of flight and 
quickness of evolution which enable so many other ra- 
pacious birds to pursue and capture their prey w 1 e 1 is 
flying. Hence the greater part of the eagles fee “l^J* 
quadrupeds, which they can easily overtake, am w ic i 
their great superiority of strength enables them to con- 
quer. To expatiate farther upon this subject wi now 
be needless. We may consider the group as now proved 
V df 
