GALLERY.] NATURAL HISTORY. 23 
dicular ; they are all from the warm parts of the Ola World. These 
birds live chiefly on carrion. 
The family of Falcons, (FALCONiDiE, Cases 8—30) have the head 
covered with feathers and the eyebrows prominent, giving them the ap¬ 
pearance of being deep in the head. The Eagles ( Aquilince , Cases 
$ —17) have a very strong compressed bill, suddenly curved to the tip, 
and the margins are festooned; they prey on living quadrupeds, birds, 
and fish. The Caracaras ( Polyborince , Case 18) have the bill slightly 
hooked; the wings with the third to the sixth quill long; the orbits, 
sides of the headland part of the throat more or less denuded of feathers. 
They are peculiar to South America, and like the Vultures, they con¬ 
gregate generally in flocks to feed on dead animal substances, and after 
they have taken their food the craw always becomes very prominent and 
naked. The Buzzards ( Buteonince , Cases 19—22) have the bill mo¬ 
derate, much curved from the base; their wings lengthened, and the 
tarsi moderate and strong. They are sluggish and pounce on their 
prey upon the ground. The Kites ( Milvince , Cases 22,23) are known 
by their excessive long wings and forked tail; their tarsi are short and 
feathered below the knee. The weakness of their bill occasions some 
of them to feed principally on insects. The Falcons ( Falconince , 
Cases 24—26) are the most courageous birds in proportion to their 
size of all the birds of prey. Their bill is curved from the base, and 
has on the margin one or two strong teeth on each side; their wdngs 
long at the tail, with the second quill the longest. The Sparrow-hawks 
(Accipitrince, Case 27) are distinguished by their wings being shorter 
than their tail; their tarsi are moderate and shielded. The margin of 
the upper mandible is greatly festooned. They skim the earth with a 
rapid flight, seizing their prey upon the wing, and sometimes pouncing 
upon it from above. The Harriers ( Circince, Cases 29, 30) have very 
long and slender tarsi, long rounded or even tails and lengthened wings, 
with the third quill the longest; the cheeks of some species are naked. 
Melierax is remarkable for singing while the female is sitting on the 
nest, wdiich it does for hours together. The Secretary , (Serpentarius,) 
found in the arid plains of Africa, called also the Serpent-eater, from its 
preying on those reptiles, in taking of which they find their spurred 
wings and lengthened legs highly serviceable. The true Harriers ( Cir¬ 
cus , Sti tgiceps. ) This latter has a kind of collar on each side of the 
neck, formed by the tips of the feathers which cover their ears, which 
gives them a resemblance to the owls. These birds generally fly very 
low over the marshes, and strike their prey upon the ground. 
The Nocturnal Birds of Prey, or Owls, (Strigim:, Cases 33—35,) 
have a large head, and their eyes placed in front, and more or less sur¬ 
rounded with a circle of radiating feathers. Their plumage is very 
soft, their ears large, and placed just at the back of the disk of feathers 
which surrounds their eyes, and this developement of the organs of 
hearing probably compensates for the imperfection of their sight, at 
least in full daylight. The Hawk- Owls ( Surnincc, Case 31) have the 
facial disc scarcely apparent, the tail lengthened, and the head without 
egrets. They hunt their prey more by day than the rest of the owls. 
The Eagle-Owls ( Buboninde , Cases 32, 33) have the facial disc and 
ear-conch moderate, the tail short, and the head generally with egrets. 
The Howlets ( OtincR, Case 34) have the facial disc more prominent 
