BIRDS OF PREY. — FALCONS. 
301 
rostral, and lead immediately to Buteo. It should, 
therefore, possess some of the characters of the buzzards 
proper, joined with others that would unite it to Falco. 
This type may be thought by some to be the Iceland 
falcon, made into a subgenus by M. Cuvier ; but W'e 
have not a specimen of this rare bird now before us, 
and we can add nothing to what we have already said 
on this subject.* But there is another singular form in 
the Gampsonyx Swaninmm (Vig.)"!, discovered during 
our researches in Brazil, which exhibits the union of 
characters above mentioned, and which may therefore 
very properly be placed within the circle of Falco. 
The identical specimen, from which the description we 
have quoted was taken, is now upon our table. Its 
bill is rather small, and is formed very much like that 
of the common buzzard ; for the upper mandible is 
entirely destitute of the lobed tooth, common to all the 
sparrowhawks, with which it has been so confidently 
associated J : to compensate, apparently for the want of 
this tooth, the tip of the mandible is prolonged into an 
unusually long and sharp hook. The wings, instead of 
being “ short,” are nearly as long as those of Falco 
sparveriun^, and are completely typical of a true 
falcon : the feet, although rather short, are very strong 
and robust for the size of the bird ; they have the 
breadth and scutellation of Aviceda, with the same pro- 
portioned toes as the generality of falcons, that is, both 
the outer toe and its claw are longer than the inner. 
The whole aspect of the bird, notwitlistanding its small 
size, gives it the appearance of a most bold and mus- 
cular little creature. It deserves to be added, also, that 
* Northern Zoology, vol. ii. p. 30. 
+ Zoological Journal, vol. ii. p. 65. 
I “ This bird decidedly belongs totheaccipitrinesub-familyofthe^^ 
nidiSi but it i» placed at that remote extremity of it, where the specif, 
gradually approaching the falcons, partially a.^8ume some of tliur leaaiiig 
characters. It possesses the hill of the hawks, and also the «bc»rtiie88 oi 
wi^ which so strongly characterises them.” — Zootogteal Journal^ . . 
f The wing of a specimen of Falco sparverim, now Ijcfore ns moasu^res 
six inches nine-teilths •, that of Gampsotn/i six inches thrcc-tentiis so tnat, 
raiSiig tile tclative siae of the two birds, the proportionate length of 
their wings is perfectly equal. 
