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Genus ELANOIDES, Vieillot. 
Elanoides^T ikillot, Nouv. Diet. d’Hist. Nat. xxiv, 1818, 101. Type, Falco forjicalui 
Nauclerus auct., nec Vigors, 1825. 
Osteolofjical characters *—Cranium very similar in contour and pro¬ 
portions to that of Pandion, but presenting important modifications in 
minor details. Superciliary process of the lachrymal distinct from the 
frontal, which is completely auchylosed with the nasal; inner convo¬ 
luted edge of the palatines scarcely produced downward ; nasal septum 
completely ossified; pterygoid bone narrow, and of a uniform width 
throughout its length. Sternum similar to that of Pandion , having, like 
it, a pair of indentations on the posterior margin, and destitute of for¬ 
amina; the clavicle, coracoids, and scapula are also very similar. 
Anatomical characters .— a Palate fiat with two longitudinal ridges* 
upper mandible with a tuberculate median ridge, lower deeply con¬ 
cave; posterior aperture of the nares oblongo-linear, with the edges 
papillate. Tongue somewhat decurved, emarginate, and finely papil- 
Inte at the base, flat above, its tip narrow and acutely emarginate. 
(Esophagus of nearly uniform width, being destitute of crop, and thus 
resembling that of the owls; its walls extremely thin ; stomach verv 
large, round, slightly compressed, its muscular coat very thin, and com¬ 
posed of a single-series of fasciculi. Intestine short and rather wide * 
pylorus with three knobs, duodenum forming a loop in the usual man¬ 
ner; no caeca; rectum short, with a large globular dilatation.”-fMc- 
Gillivkay.) 1 
Pterylographical characters .—“ Inner branch on the jugular part dis¬ 
tinct but short; outer branch entirely free. Dorsal portion of the 
spinal tract usually long ”f— (Nitzsch.) Contour-feathers with after- 
shafts. Lumbar tract present. Bemiges, 23. 
General external characters .—Bill rather small and narrow, interme¬ 
diate between that of Pandion and Planus y compressed auteriorlv and 
very broad at the base; the terminal hook well produced, the^tomia 
very regular; cere ascending; nostril broadly oval, oblique * gonys 
nearly straight; tomiurn of the lower mandible very convex/ Lores 
densely feathered, the feathers bristle-like. Feet robust; tarsus a little 
longer than the middle toe, covered with large, irregular, hexagonal 
scales; toes with transverse scutellm nearly to the base* claws 
short, strong, abruptly flattened beneath, the edges very sharp the 
middle claw bent laterally, the inner side very convex, the projecting 
edge sharp and entire. No web between the toes. Primaries and 
rectrices excessively elongated and narrow, the former more than twice 
the length of the secondaries. Outer tail-feathers about equal to the 
primaries, and more than twice as long as the middle pair. 
Apparently more nearly related to Pernis, Cymindis , Eegerhinus and 
allied forms than to any other genera, the genus Planoides yet stands 
isolated from these by the absence of mauy characters common to them 
and by the possession of features peculiarly its own. In general exter¬ 
nal form, it approaches quite nearly the genus Milvus , but when com- 
* Of this genus we have seen only the skull and sternum. 
t Nitzsch gives the above characters of a group in which he includes Milvus reaali* 
M. ater, and Elanoules forficatus. J * 
