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WHITTAKER, AVE-~MARIA-LANE}3 JOHN WARREN, BOND-STREET, W. WOOD, 428, STRAND; AND 3. MAWMAN, 39, LUDGATE-STREET, 1821. gee rca an Clr. 30,1944 De e ude, 2%,1 Ov.) TO THE KING’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, GEORGE THE FOURTH. a hm Ce SIRE, THE Work which I now submit to the public, under Your Majesty’s most gracious Patronage, has been the labour and amusement of many years. Having, through the kindness of many friends, had an opportunity of examining most of the subjects mentioned therein, I trust that the descriptions will be found faithful. That Your Majesty may long reign over a loyal people, the Patron and Encourager of Science and Art, in all their branches, is the sincere wish of Your Majesty’s Devoted and grateful Subject and Servant, JOHN LATHAM. WINCHESTER, Sept. 1821. * = . .- Se = Se Ba i Se we a a ~ me “dag, ol ot eckus oS ain at aw i ; As, ca98 ani oanena6 anions Wows shymiph 90 mie eck ue Poe ni Wi aging ‘sat init ste / Yoyod hao ae el gant goin, oot sath ‘Me’ ws _aysh. ou sania. ar Y wont PREFACE. IT is now nearly twenty years since the last Volume, or Second Supplement to the Synopsis of Birds, was published; and it is satis- factory to observe the daily increase of the admirers of Natural History in general, particularly in the department of Ornithology. At the time of publishing the Synopsis, we had no intention ef writing further on the subject ; but we have subsequently availed ourselves of every opportunity of correcting and amending any errors or misrepresentations which had unavoidably arisen in that work, and were tempted, at the same time, to commit to paper, descriptions of every new discovery in that branch ; and especially to compare Birds, nearly similar in plumage, with each other, with the intention of ascertaining whether they were distinct as to species, or varying only in sex, or immature in feather. In this we trust we have succeeded in very many instances, and have to acknowledge the great assistance afforded by the labours of M.Temminck, of Amsterdam, whose views have been directed to the same point, as may be seen more fully in his last Manuel d Ornithologie. vi PREFACE. From the above sources we have been enabled to give to the public a great variety of new matter, as well as new subjects, and although this might possibly have been attained by means of con- tinued Supplements, it would have required at least two of these as appendages to the former ones, which would have so embarrassed the whole, as to make it no easy matter to search after the complete history of any single subject wanted. . On this account we have resolved to begin this work, as it were anew, and so to blend the old with the new matter, as to give the observations and additions of many years at one view. Moreover, had the publishing any further Supplements been resolved on, we are constrained to say, that many of the possessors of the first Seven Volumes would have had cause of complaint, from there having been a confined number of copies printed of the Second Supplement or Eighth Volume,* msomuch as totally to preclude very many persons from completmg their sets; and it is the mere to be lamented, as this last volume was not a little interesting, from its contaming many valuable additions, besides a considerable number of Birds, from New-Holland, not before described. * A little time prior to the publication of the Second Supplement, on finding it very inconvenient to confer with my Booksellers so often as I had been accustomed to do, from the great distance I then lived from London, I agreed to put the remaining copies of the Seven Volumes, then published, into their hands, at a fair valuation; and finding it to be their wish that I should form an Eighth Volume, from the additional matter I had collected since the publication of my first Supplement, I furnished it to them, to be printed at their own cost > but not long after, I learned, to my surprise, that instead of 500, the number of copies printed of the former Volumes, only 250 were struck off. What end this was to answer was known only to themselves, and I think it mght to mention the cireumstance here, to exculpate myself from the blame which has attached to me on that procedure, and which, from that Volume not being then my own property, it was not in my power to prevent, PREFACE. vil It is very unfortunate for the promotion of Natural History, that so many and various Systems in Ornithology have of late years been attempted, and of course each builder of a new one flatters himself that he has done service to science, by brmging the productions of nature under some restrictions; but the infinite variety and multitude ef which it consists, will not be so fettered; and how far the elaborately multiplying of Genera will truly answer the end of the Naturalist, we have yet to learn. In respect to ourselves, having in the Synopsis formed a plan, which has been in general understood, and not disapproved of, it behoves us to continue the same arrange- ment, as near as may be, in the present publication. We cannot object to those who come after us acting according to their own ideas, but hope, that though at present they differ widely one from the other, each preferrmg his own method, they may unite in sentiment, and together form one system, on such a basis as to be a standard for future generations. In a work lke the present, the reader may expect to find a full account of the nature of the feathered creation; but this has been already so sufficiently done to our hands by others, as to render it unnecessary to-enlarge on it m this place. On this head we have to recommend the perusal of the elaborate and elegant works of the Count de Buffon. This matter has also been most amply taken up by M. Daudin, in his Tratté d’ Ornithologie, and will fully merit the reader’s attention. The late Mr. Pemant, likewise, has so scientifically treated the subject m his Genera of Birds, as to render any further observation on this point unnecessary: and I ought not to omit, that the Intro- Vill _ PREFACE. duction of Colonel Montagu to his Ornithological Dictionary, may be consulted with both profit and satisfaction. But in respect to system, if we except Belon, Gesner, Aldro- vandus, and Johnston, all of whom have made, more or less, attempts at arrangement, there are but few who have taken more than a desultory view of the matter. Our Countryman, the great Ray, therefore, may be justly con- sidered the first author of system, and itis to him that we are indebted for the valuable Ornithology of Francis Willughby, Esq. which, though published as far back as the year 1679, has not lost its celebrity; but from that time Ornithology has made a rapid progress. From hence we are naturally led to the name of the ever to be remembered Linnzus, who not only has descanted largely on Birds, but, at one view, drawn together, as it were, all nature and her productions, into his Systema Nature, and his method, as far as relates to our subject, has served as a basis, to the present day. There is one thing, however, which has appeared unaccountable, and in which he differs from Ray. The latter separated all birds into two grand divisions; the one, those which frequent land—the other, these which frequent water: but Linnzeus divides the land birds into two parts, placing the water birds between... This has ever seemed to us unnatural, and has, therefore, not been admitted in the present work. We prefer Ray’s original arrangement, but adhere to the Linnean Genera, except i such instances as manifestly required a deviation; and it will net escape the reader’s attention,. that we have, from this necessity, ourselves formed several new ones; for instance, in the Synopsis—Wattle-bird, Channel-bill, Plant-cutter, Plantain-eater, Coly, Menura, Tinamou, Sheath-bill, Cereopsis, PREFACE. 1X Courier, Pratincole, and Penguin; and in the present work the Secretary, Honey-eater, Barbican, Coucal, Malkoha, Emeu, Erody, and Finfoot. To go further than this, would, perhaps, entangle the reader, and too much load his memory, to little purpose ; for though it may be objected, that any particular bird may not answer exactly to the definition of a genus, in every minute point, yet, if it be found to coincide in most of the characters, it ought to be admitted, rather than to form anew genus for it; especially, if such bird is one already known and received; otherwise the reader will have to search for it under a disguise, and not readily find what he wants. It will be observed, in many cases, that birds are said to be in various cabinets, not now in existence —but it must be remembered, that at the time of first penning the Synopsis, and long after, the Leverian Museum was in full preservation. Many subjects also, referred to in the British Museum, have since fallen into decay ; and the very numerous and choice articles then in Mr. Bullock’s noble collection are now dispersed. The reader has, therefore, to rely on the author only for the descriptions, To a cursory observer it may appear, that a full description of any bird, suspected to be simply a variety of a species already known, was unnecessary; but it has been judged right to detail the plumage, that in case any person should meet with a specimen similar in colour, and answering to the description, he may be less at a loss to refer it to the species it belongs to; and the reader will not, we presume, be displeased to find the numerous references to the authors who have mentioned the respective species, more especially those in which there x PREFACE: are figures, as he may thereby the more easily comprehend the shape and colours of the object in question, than by mere description. It is intended to join one coloured copper-plate, at least, to each genus, of some bird, which, im many instances, has not been before figured, with the intent of pomting out to the eye of the less informed naturalist, wherein one genus differs from another. From the numerous species of the Falcon tribe, the present volume can only admit the four following genera, viz.—Vulture, Secretary, Falcon, and Owl, to which an adequate number of plates are appropriated ; perhaps fewer in proportion than will be found in the subsequent volumes, but this could not be avoided, without making the volumes too unequal in respect to each other. Among the many friends to whom I consider myself under obligations, during the progress of this work, Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. stands eminently foremost, having assisted me, from the beginning of our acquaintance, with the examination of all his Ornithological specimens, collected by him in his Voyage to the South Seas, as well as by the imspection of his numerous collection of drawings, to the time of his lamented death, added to the free loan of every book from his valuable library, that could be useful in the undertaking. I am happy to mention my long acquaintance and reciprocal friendship with the late Thomas Pennant, Esq. whose merit, as a British Zoologist, stands unrivalled, and I flatter myself I shall continue to find in his son what I experienced in his father. To Lieutenant-General Davies, of the Royal Artillery, IT am greatly indebted ; from whose faithful pencil I have been furnished with very many exact representations of new subjects, taken from PREFACE. x1 the different Ornithological collections of his friends, independent of those in his own well-chosen cabinet of subjects in Natural History. I am under many obligations to Lord Stanley, not only for the loan of many fine specimens, at various times, but also for his scientific observations; and it is well known, that his collection of preserved birds is not only numerous but select. I have been greatly assisted in my pursuit by the inspection of a large number of drawings, brought from India, by Sir J. Anstru- ther, Bart. done under the eye of Dr. Buchanan ; and am also under similar obligations to the last named gentleman, not only for the use of his own portfolios of Ornithological drawings, but also for his animadversions on the subjects therem contained. To the Earl of Mountnorris [ am not less obliged, for assisting me with the view of his numerous drawings of Indian and other birds, made under his mspection. To Mr. Salt, also, many thanks are due, for furnishing me with the specimens of birds, collected by him during his journey into Abyssinia, among which were many entirely new. I also feel myself most deeply indebted to Lieutenant-General Hardwicke, of the Bengal Artillery, who, with the utmost liberality, entrusted me, for a long time, with his very numerous and select drawings of the birds of India, where he resided many years, taken under his direction, from the subjects themselves. The world will no doubt give me credit for mentioning two British Ornithologists, now no more; I mean William Boys, Esq. of Sandwich, in Kent; and Colonel Montagu, Author of the Orni- thological Dictionary, as I have from both of them received many useful remarks and observations on many British species. b2 xi PREFACE. I have likewise tu thank Thomas Wilson, and A. B. Lambert, Esqrs. for the examination of various specimens of birds from New- Holland, as well as for the inspection of numerous drawings, from the same part of the world: and I think it but justice to mention the obligations I have been under to my worthy friend Mr. Hutchins, formerly resident at Hudson’s Bay, but long since dead, who not only procured for me numerous specimens from that part, but fur-. nished me with a large Volume of Observations on the birds of that climate. I have also the satisfaction of naming Mr. Abbot, of Savannah, in Georgia, who, I trust, yet lives to continue to furnish faithful observations on the birds in his vicinity, as well as specimens; and the volumes of American Ornithology, by Mr. Wilson, need only to be known to be appreciated. Mr. M‘Leay will also find his name mentioned with gratitude in various parts of this work, having submitted to my inspection many fine specimens of birds, chiefly from Berbice and its neigh- bourhood. I am indebted, likewise, to the late Earl of Seaforth, for the inspection of a large collection of preserved birds from Trinidad, as well as the gift of several, collected by himself, during his residence in that part of the world. I can by no means omit to mention of the kindnesses shewn to me by Chas. Wilkins, Esq. of the India House, in pointing out many rare subjects and drawings therein contained. And the world in general must think itself particularly debted, by the numerous specimens in Ornithology, as well as other branches PREFACE. xii of Natural History, added thereto by Dr. Horsfield, being the result of several years residence in the Island of Java, more espe- cially as a great part of them is entirely new. And lastly, I must apologize for taking up the reader's time so long on this subject, being induced thereto, from a desire of shew- ing fmy remembrance of the assistance afforded to me; and although I may have omitted the names of many others in this place, let them be assured, that I have not forgotten their attentions. In respect to the names of the authors whom I have consulted throughout this undertaking, a Catalogue will be found of them at the end of the work. And I am pleased to observe the propensity in many of our late Voyagers, among other things, to pay attention to Natural History in the account of their travels, whether in the inclement Arctic Regions, or the hottest climes; that they may con- tinue to pursue such proofs of their desire to promote knowledge, is my sincere wish. The scientific reader, doubtless, may point out many errors in this work : I have, as far as in my power, studied fidelity, and hoping that such mistakes as fall to the lot of every individual may be regarded with candour and liberality, I remain, the Public’s most devoted Servant, JOHN LATHAM. WINCHESTER, September, 1821. wpe ai af paiva, oat ye ‘ie ot . oh ton * LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. —®D¢ &— HIS MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY THE KING. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE LEOPOLD. —2 S$ ee Atherley, Arthur, Esq. Southampton. Atherley, Mrs. George, Southampton. Auber, Mr. India House, London. Baber, Edward, Esq. Park-street, Grosvenor-square, London. Bale, Reverend Sackville, Wythiam, Sussex. Bargus, Mrs. Otterbourne. Baring, Sir Thomas, Bart. M. P. Stratton Park.—T'wo Copies. Baring, Alexander, Esq. M. P: Grange. Baring, Francis, Esq. Baring, Henry, Esq. M. P. Somerley House, Hants. Barlow, Henry, Esq, Millbrook, Hants. Baron, William, Esq. Tregeane, Launceston, Cornwall. Bedford, His Grace the Duke of, Woburn Abbey. Berens, H. Esq. 13, Old Square, Lincoln’s Inn, London, XVi LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Bicheno, J. Ebenezer, Esq. Greenham, near Newbury. Bland, Michael, Esq. 30, Montague-place, Russell-square, London. Bolton, Thomas, Esq. Landford, Wilts. Bond, Joseph, Esq. 79, Basinghall-street, London. Bonn, University Library of, Germany. Bourchier, Charles, Esq. 66, Wimpole-street, London. Bourne, Right Honourable William Sturges, M. P. Testwood, Hants. Bridges, Reverend T. C.C.C. Oxford. Bright, Richard, Esq. Crawley House, Hants. Buckingham, Most Noble the Marchioness of, Avington. Byron, Mrs. 22, Nottingham-place, Mary-le-bonne, London. Caldecott, Thomas, Esq. Dartford, Kent. Carlisle, the Right Honourable the Earl of, K. G. Castle-Howard. Cashel, His Grace the Lord Archbishop of. Chauncey, Miss, Theobalds, Herts. Cleeve, Reverend Doctor, Upton Pyne, near Exeter. Codrington, Sir C, Bethell, Bart. Dodington, Gloucestershire. Cole, Mrs. Winchester. 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Freeling, Francis, Esq. Bryanstone-square, London. LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. XVil Gabell, Reverend Henry Dyson, D. D. Winchester. Garnier, Reverend William, Prebendary of Winchester. Garnier, Reverend Thomas, Rector of Bishop’s Stoke, Hants. Gee, Osgood, Esq. Lower Seymour-street, Portman-square, London, Gordon, Robert Home, Esq. Conduit-street, London.—Two Copies. Greisswalde, the University of, Germany. Hackett, ——, M.D. Southampton. Hales, Miss, Winchester. Harman, Thomas, Esq. Wombwell Hall, Kent. Harrison, R. Esq. Dublin. Heathcote, Sir Thomas Freeman,- Bart. Hursley Park, Hants. Heathcote, Mrs. William, Winchester. Hereford, Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of, Winchester. Heysham, John, M. D. Carlisle. Holland, Lady, Cranbury, Hants: Holmes, Sir Leonard Thomas Worsley, Bart. M. P. Isle of Wight. Home, Sir Everard, Bart. Sackville-street, Piccadilly. Hilliard, George, Esq. Belmont Castle, Grays, Essex. Howell, Reverend F. Canon of Exeter. Hougham,. William, Esq. Barton Court, Salisbury. Hoy, Michael, Esq. Isle of Wight. Hulse, Sir Charles, Bart. Breamore,-Hants. Jacob and Johnson, Winchester.—Six Copies. Jardine, W.M. Esq. Edinburgh. Jekyll, Joseph, Esq. Spring Gardens, London. Jervoise, George Purefoy, Esq. M.P. Herriard House, Hants, Ingles, the Reverend Charles, D. D. Easton, Hants. Inglis, Sir Robert, Bart. Iremonger, Reverend Lascelles, Prebendary of Winchester. Killaloe, the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Knight, Edward, Jun. Esq. Chawton House, Hants. Labouchere, Mrs. 16, Upper Brook-street; London: Lampard, James, Esq. Winchester. Latham, John, M. D. Harley-street, London. Le Blanc, Thomas, Esq. 63, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, Lee, Reverend Harry, Fellow of Winchester College. Legge, Honourable Augustus George, Chancellor of Winchester. Leigh, James Henry, Esq. M. P. Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwick. XVili LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Lethbridge, Sir Thomas Buckler, Bart. M. P. Sandhill Park, Somerset. Littlehales, Charles, M.D. Winchester. 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Williams, Reverend Charles, Fellow of Winchester College. Williams, Reverend David, Winchester: Williams, George, M.D. Regius Professor of Botany, Oxford. Wilson, Thomas, Esq. Maidenhead, Berks. Winchester, the College Library of Winchester, Very Reverend the Dean of Winchester, the Dean and Chapter of Winnington, Sir Thomas E. Bart. M.P. Worcester. Winter, John, Esq. Heathfield Lodge, Acton, Middlesex, Wood, William, Esq. Strand, London.—Two Copies. Woodburn, Reverend John, Winchester. c2 XX LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Woodfall, George, Esq. Wooll, Reverend John, D.D. Rugby, Warwick. Worcester, Very Reverend the Dean of Woollery, Miss Wyndham, Reverend J. Heathcote. Yonge, Miss Jane, Yealmpton, Devon. Yonge, Reverend John, Puslinch, Devon, BIRDS. A BIRD may be divided into:—1. The HEAD. 2. NECK. 3. BODY: 4. WINGS. 5. TAIL. 6. LEGS. 1, The HEAD (Caput) is for the most part oval in shape, and consists of the following Parts :— Tne Brit (Rostrum), of an horny texture, pierced with the nostrils, and containing the tongue, is joined to the fore part of the head. The shape varying in different subjects, as straight, bent downwards or upwards, and is either round, compressed, flattened, conic, pointed, cylindric, angulated, cultrated, or hooked. Divided into two mandibles, which are generally naked, and smooth on the edges ; in some emarginated near the tip, in a few ser- rated, not unfrequently covered witha naked skin or cere, and in many furnished with bristles at the gape. Nosrrits (Wares) are in the upper mandible, for the most part placed at, or near, the base; but in some few (as Toucan, and Hornbill) behind the base. The shape various; as oval, oblong, linear, arched at the top, tubular, &c. Cere (Cera), a thick membranous skin, differently coloured, covering the upper mandible above at the base, chiefly in the Falcon Genus, and in this the nostrils are placed. Toneue (Lingua), either fleshy, cartilaginous, emarginated, having a small notch near the tip, lacerated, or jagged, with the edges feathered, as in the Toucan; ciliated or furnished with bristles, entire and smooth, and often sharp-pointed. The Face (Capistrum) is a certain space, all round, next the base of the bill, reaching as far as the eyes. The upper surface of the Head is divided into the Forehead (Frons); Crown (Vertex) ; Hindhead (Occiput). The Crest (Crista), for the most part, arises from the feathers being more or less elon- gated ; and is either frontal, vertical, or occipital, sonamed from the place of its origin; is erect, or bending backwards or forwards. In shape compressed, or fasciculated; in structure tufted, folded, and consisting of two series of alternate feathers: The Eves (Oculi), one on each side, have the eyelids moveable, and are frequently ciliated on the edges; besides which is a semi-transparent skin, or nictitating membrane, capable of being drawn immediately over the eye, to defend it from too much light ; most conspicuous in the Owl Genus. XX BIRDS. Evesrow (Supercilium), for the most part so called, when a line or streak of a different colour passes over the eye, but not a distinct projection, as in the human species; sometimes this linear streak is bare and carunculated, as in the Grous. Caruncies (Caruncule) are naked, soft, fleshy parts, either smooth, or irregular in surface, chiefly on the head or neck, as instanced in the forehead of the Jacana and Turkey ; on the crown in the Cock; at the nape in the Grakle; over the eyes in the Grous ; and on the throat in the Turkey and Cassowary. ' 7 Lore (Lorum) a naked skin between the bill and eye. Orsits (Orbite) the parts immediately surrounding the eyes. CuEEKs (Gene) space beneath the eyes, between them and the throat. TemMPLEs (Jempora) space between the eyes and ears. Ears (Aures) holes at the back part of the head on each side, generally uncovered, except in Owls, which have a conspicuous flap, capable of being elevated at will. BEARD (Barba) by this is meant the whisker seen on each side of the lower jaw, and for the most part distinct and moveable, as in the Momot, and bearded Titmouse—formed of bristles, as observed at the edges of the base of themandibles of the Goatsucker, appearing pectinated ; on the breast, as in the Turkey-Cock. 2. NECK (Collum) is elongated, more or less erect, cylindric, and divided into the— Nape (Nucha) meaning the back part next to the head. Hinp-part of the Neck (Cervix) the rest of the space behind, between the nape and beginning of the back. : Cun (Gula) the part beneath and adjoining to the under mandible. Turoat (Jugulum) space between the chin and breast. 3. BODY (Corpus) this is oval in shape, and consists of the following parts :— Back (Dorsum) the upper part between the neck behind and rump. Rume (Uropygium) the lower part of the back next to the tail, furnished with a double gland, secreting an oily fluid for the use of dressing the feathers. INTERSCAPULAR (Interscapulium) the anterior part of the back, between the wings. Snou.pERs (Humeri) the parts on each side of the last, falling over the wings. Breast (Pectus) the space covering the breast bone. Axillaries (Aville) the feathers on the sides of the breast at the base of the wings, most conspicuous in the Bird of Paradise. Hypocnonnres (Hypochondric) the posterior parts of the sides of the breast and belly, Beiy (Abdomen) the part between the breast and vent, generally covered with soft and downy feathers. Vunt (Crissum) between the thighs and tail beneath, corresponding with the rump above. 4. WINGS (Ale) serving for flight, except in the Dodo, Ostrich, Great Awk, and Penguin: in the two former, however, the speed im running on the ground is accelerated, and the two latter find their short finny appendages of much use in swimming. BIRDS. XXili Wine Coverts /Tectrices) lesser or greater. The first are those which lie on the bones of the wings; the greater beneath the others, falling over the quills. Quits (Remiges/) may be divided into three series ; the first or principal (primores ) ; the secondaries (secundarig) ; and tertials (tertiales) ; the last, in Water Fowl, are generally longer than the secondaries, and cuneiform. Bastarp Winé (Alula spuria) situated outwardly, at the base of the greater guills, and generally consists of four or five small feathers, in shape like a small wing, whence the name. ScapuLars (Scapulares) these take rise from the large wing bone, and fall over the base of the wings on each side above, between the body and wing when folded up. Wine Spor, or SPECULUM, so called, is a bright part of the wing, sometimes beauti- fully coloured, and very glossy, appearing generally as a patch on the greater wing coverts, when folded up, chiefly conspicuous in the Duck Genus. 5. TAIL (Cauda), this is composed of long feathers, more or less stiff, differing in number, and taking rise from the rump. Tait Featuers (Rectrices) are for the most part twelve, and are generally described thus (12345 6 654321), meaning, that 1 1 are the two outer, and 6 6 the two middle feathers. Some birds, however, have as far as 18 or 20, as in the Gallinaceous and Duck Tribe, and several of the Pies no more than ten. The tail varies much in shape and length ; it may be called short, when shorter than the legs; and long, when it reaches beyond them ; even, when the feathers are of equal lengths ; cuneiform, when they become shorter as they are more outward; and forked, when the side feathers grow gradually longer than the two middle ones. Taiz Coverts (Tectrices Caude) cover the base of the tail above and beneath, falling over and concealing the insertion of the tail feathers. 6. LEGS (Crura). These consist of the thighs, shins, toes, and claws. Tuieus (Femora) are fleshy, covered with feathers for the most part, but in the Waders and some others, are bare for some part of their length; these are generally situated in the middle, to support the equilibrium of the body, and appear outwardly, except in the Awk, Grebe, Diver, and Penguin, in which the thighs do not appear externally, and the legs, of course, are detained backwards. «Hence the bird may be called fettered, and from this cause experiences great difficulty in walking, and that only in an upright posture, or nearly so. Braceets (Armille), are coloured circles, at the lower part of thethighs, just above the joint, asin the Coot; in some double or treble. Suins (Crura), are slender, narrow, and tendinous ; in some downy, or covered with short feathers ; in others furnished with a spur at the back part; chiefly in the males. Toes (Digiti). These vary in number and disposition. * Four in Number, but differently placed. 1, Made for WaLkine (Ambulatorit), having three toes forward, disunited or separated to the base, and one behind, XXIV. BIRDS. 2. Sartenr (Gressorii). In these sometimes all, but for the most part two, of the fore toes are joined at the base, the hind one free. : 3. CLImBine (Scansorit). Here the toes are placed two forwards and two backwards.— In this may be noticed some few, in which only one is seen backwards ; that is, three in all, but such are to be accounted as anomalies. 4, PREHENSILE (Prehensiles). Birds of this kind have four toes, but all placed forwards, as in one species of the Coly, Swift, &c. ** TRIDACTYLE (Tridactyli). These are Cursory (Cursorii), having only three toes, all placed forwards, instanced in the Bustard, Cassowary, Rhea, Plover, Courser, Oister- Catcher, Albatross, Awk, Guillemot. *** Dipacty Le (Diédactyli) ; of this, having only two toes, we have a single instance in the Ostrich, and both the toes placed: forwards. The FOOT (Pes) is said to be PALMATED (Natatorius) when the toes are connected with amembrane, asin the Duck genus. SEMIPALMATED (Semipalmatus) when the membrane connecting the toes does not reach half way from the base. Losatep (Lobatus). In this the toes are furnished with a membrane, on the side of each, but divided to the bottom. PINNATED (Pinnatus) when each joint is separately lobated, and having a distinct lobe or membrane. Tuer Ciaws (Ungues) are generally more or less sharp at the ends, though in some blunt or rounded, in the manner of human nails. In:a few margined and edged, and some- times serrated. The claws in some species are observed to be wholly wanting, especially the hinder one. Spines or Spurs (Calcaria) for defence, are chiefly found at the back part of the shins, as in the Peacock, Pheasant, Grous, and Partridge; besides which we see such, both sharp and blunt, at the bend of the wing; witnessed in the Ostrich, Screamer, various Plovers, Jacana, and several species of Ducks. Horns (Cornwa) are séen on the head, single as in the Screamer, or double in the Horned Turkey. Warrres (Caruncule) fleshy membranes, chiefly hanging from the lower jaw, instanced in the Cock, Wattle-Bird, some species of Starlings, and others. Poucn (Saccus jugularis) a dilatable membrane under the throat, as in the Ibis and Pelican. ORDERS OF BIRDS. S326 eS CHARACTERS OF THE ORDERS. DIVISION I. LAND BIRDS. — 2) oe ORDER I. RAPACIOUS. BILL incurvated, the upper mandible hooked, with an indentation near the tip. Nos< trils for the most part open. Fret made for perching, short, strong. Bopy, Heap, and Neck muscular. Sxin thick: FLEsH impure. Foop obtained by rapine, or preying on. carrion, Nest built on trees, or elevated places.—Eggs generally four in number.—Female larger: Monogamous. ORDER ITI. PIES. BILL sharp-edged, upper mandible convex. Fret made for walking, short, strong. Bopy somewhat tenacious. Flesh impure. Foop yarious. NEsT on trees; the male feeds the female while sitting. —Monogamous: d XXVi BIRDS, ORDER III. PASSERINE. BILL conic-acuminated. FEET salient, slender, cloven. Bopy tender.—In those which are granivorous the flesh is pure—in others, feeding on insects, impure. Foop obtained from trees, as seeds, or insects. Nest curiously constructed.—The food put into the mouth of the young by the parents. Monogamous.—Many of these are songsters. ORDER IV. COLUMBINE. BILL rather strait, swelling at the base. Feet formed for walking, short. Nails simple. Bopy plump. Flesh savoury. Foop grass, fruits, and seeds, swallowed whole. Nest ill constructed, placed in trees, hollows of rocks, &c. Eees two in number. The mother feeds the young with grain, made soft in the crop, and ejected into their mouths.—Monogamous. ORDER V. GALLINACEOUS. BILL convex, the upper mandible arched over the lower, having a convex cartilaginous membrane over the nostrils. Feet made for walking. Toes rough beneath: Bopy plump and museular. Flesh savoury. . Foop, grain of all kinds, collected from the ground, and macerated in the crop. Nest made on the bare ground, without art. Eggs numerous. The young, as soon as hatched, take of themselves the food pointed out te them by the parents.—Polygamous, ORDER VI. STRUTHIOUS. BILL subconie, strait, tip various. Bopy shapeless, ponderous, scarcely edible. Wines small, useless for flight, or none visible. Freer made for running, strong. Toes various in number. Foop grain and vegetables. Nest on the ground,—Monogamous. BIRDS, XXVIl DIVISION IJ. WATER BIRDS. ORDER VII. WITH CLOVEN FEET, BILL sub-cylindrie. Feet cloven. Tureus half naked. Bopy compressed. Skin very tender. Tail short. Flesh savoury. Foop, in marshy places, fish, marine insects, mollusc. Nest chiefly on land, sometimes on trees. Mode of pairing various. ORDER VIII. WITH PINNATED FEET. BILL, Bopy, and Foop, as in the former. Freer made for wading, naked, more or less, above the knees. Toes cloven, but pinnated, or webbed, the whole of their length. Nest large, of leaves, grass, or water plants, in moist grounds, and often close to the water —Monogamous. ORDER IX. WEB-FOOTED. * With Long Legs. BILL various. Bopy rather depressed, conic. The flesh of the young savoury. Lres very long, made for wading. Thighs naked the greater part of the length. Tors furnished half way with a membrane. Foop obtained from the water, as small fish and insects. Nest placed on the ground. —Monogamous. ** With Short Legs. BILL smooth, covered with a skin, enlarged at the base. Fert made for swimming. Shins short, compressed. The toes united by a membrane. Bopy fat. Skin tenacious, covered with excellent feathers. Flesh, for the most part, savoury. Foop water plants, fish, and reptiles. Nest chiefly on the ground, seldom on trees. The mother rarely broods the young.— For the most part Polygamous, , d2 GENERA OF BIRDS. CHARACTERS OF THE GENERA. DIVISION I. LAND BIRDS. ==> oC aa ORDER I. ACCIPITRINE. 1. VULTURE - Bill hooked, head bare. 2. Secretary - =< Bill hooked, sides of the head bare, legs very long. 3. Falcon - = = Bill hooked, base covered with a cere. 4. Owls = = = Bill hooked, feathers of the front reversed. ORDER II. PIES. * With Legs made for Walking. . Shrike - = =~ Bill straitish, emarginated. . Beef-eater - = Bill strait, quadrangular. . Plantain-eater - . Wattle-Bird - Bill incurvated, sharp-edged. Bill stout, elevated at the base, mandibles dentated. Bill cultrated, feathers of the front reversed. 15. Crow = - = 16. Roller - - - Bill cultrated, bent at the tip. 17. Oriole - - = Bill strait, conic, sharp-pointed. 18. Grakle - - < Bill cultrated, even, mostly bare at the base. . Paradise Bird - Bill sub-cultrated, feathers of the front velvety: . Nuthatch - - Bill strait, cuneated at the tip. 29, 31. . Hoopoe - - 34, 35. . Humming-Bird Bill incurvated, filiform, tip blunt, Honey-eater Creeper- = . Parrot = « . Toucan - = . Channel-Bill . Ani - = - . Curucut- = . Barbet - = . Barbican - Coucal - = . Malkoha- - . Cuckow= = . Wryneck - . Woodpecker . Jacamar- = . Motmot - - . Hornbill - King sfisher = Tody - = . Bee-eater = 41. Grosbeak = 42. Bunting- - 44, Finch - - 45. Plant-cutter ¥* 40. Coly- - - 50. Manakin - . Swallow- = Goatsucker - BIRDS. XIX - Bill long, slender, bending. - Bill sub-triangular, bent at the tip; tongue ciliated, “ Bill incurvated, pointed. ** With Climbing Feet. - Bill with a cere at the base ; tongue fleshy. - Bill serrated ; tongue feathered on the sides, - Bill cultrated, nostrils oval, rugose. - Bill rugose, margin angular. - Bill serrated, bent at the tip. = Bill smooth, emarginated, hooked. - Bill bent, with one or more notch at the upper mandible. - Bill strong, nostrils elongate; interior hind claw strait. - Bill strong, nostrils lmear, marginal; cheeks bare, granulated, - Bill smooth, nostrils emarginated, or rimmed. 4 - Bill smooth, tongue worm-shaped, missile, = Bill angular, tongue worm-shaped, missile. - Bill quadrangular, very sharp-pointed. *** Feet made for Leaping. - Bill bent, denticulated; tongue feathery. - Bill serrated, front bony. in Bill triangular, strait. - Bill linear, depressed, strait. ~ Bill bent, somewhat compressed. ORDER III. PASSERINE. * With Thick Bills. - Bill conic, ovated. - Bill sub-conic, the lower mandible broader, coarctate, - Bill conic, sharp. - Bill conic, strait, serrated. With Curved Bills, the Upper Mandible bent at the Tip. - Bill conic, attenuated, convex above. - Bill incurvated, subulated. - Billincurvated, depressed. - Bill incurvated, depressed, ciliated. XXX. BIRDS. *** With Bills having the Upper Mandible emarginated near the Tip. 38. Thrush - - = Bill emarginated, subulate, compressed at the base. 39. Chatterer - - Bill emarginated, subulate, depressed at the base. 43. Tanager- - = Bill emarginated, subulate, somewhat conic at the base. 46. Flycatcher - - Bill emarginated, subulate, hairy at the base. **** Simple-billed.—Bill strait, integral, attenuated. 37. Starling- - = Bill subulated, depressed at the tip, and margined. 47. Lark- - = - Bill subulated; tongue bifid ; hind claw elongated. 48. Wagtail- - = Bill subulated; hind claw moderate; tail long. 49. Warbler- - < Bill subulated ; hind claw moderate; tail shorter. 51, Titmouse - - Bill subulated; tongue truncated; feathers of the front reversed. ORDER IV. COLUMBINE. 54. Pigeon - = = Bill sharpish on the edge, nostrils gibbous, covered with an obso- lete membrane. ORDER V. GALLINACEOUS. * With Four Toes. 55. Peacock- = - Bill naked; feathers of the crown revolute. 56. Turkey - - - Bill naked; face covered with caruncles. 57: Guan - - - Bill bare at the base; head feathered. 58. Pintado- - - Bill furnished with a double wattle at the base. 59, Curassow - - Bill with a cere covering the base. 60. Menura- - = Bill conico-convex, nostrils in the middle. 61. Pheasant - = Bill smooth; cheeks naked, smooth. 62. Tinamouw - - Bill longish, blunt at the tip, nostrils in the middle. 63. Grous - =- = Bill conic, bent; a naked space above the eyes. G4. Partridge - - Bill conic, a little bent; space round the eyes covered. 65, Trumpeter Bill sub-fornicated, nostrils oval, perviops. ** With Three Toes. Bill sub-fornicated ; tongue emarginated ; feet with three toes, all placed forwards. 66. Bustard ~ BIRDS. XXXi ORDER VI. STRUTHIOUS. * With Four Toes. 67. Dodo - = = Bill a little compressed on the sides, bent at the tip; face some- what naked. ** With Three Toes, placed forwards. 68. Emeun - - ~ Bill strait, sub-conic: a knob instead of a back toe. 69. Cassowury = - Bill strait, sub-conic. *** With Two Toes, placed forwards. 70. Ostrich - - - Bill strait, depressed, obtuse. DIVISION II. WATER BIRDS. ORDER VII. WADERS. * With Four Toes. 71. Spoon-Bill- - Bill depressed, spoon-shaped. 72. Screamer = = Bill hooked at the tip, sharp: 73. Jabiru - - = Bill inclining upwards, the under mandible thicker, and more stout. 74. Boat-Bill - = Bill gibbous, the upper mandible shaped like a boat, with the keel upwards. 73. Umbre - - = Bill compressed, carinated, obtuse. 76. Heron - = - Bill sharp at the end. 77. Erody = - = Bill strait, somewhat gaping from the middle to the point. 78. Ibis - - = = Bill bent, with a bare pouch under the throat. 79. Curlew - - = Bill bent ; the face wholly feathered. 80. Snipe - = = Bill strait, long, roundish, blunt at the end. 81. Sandpiper - - Bill roundish, obtuse; hind claw scarcely reaching the ground. 85. Pratincole - - Bill convex, tip somewhat compressed. 86. Rail- - - - Bill subcarinated; body compressed. 87. Jacana - - - Bill more or less carunculated at the base. 88. Gallinule - = Bill strait, sharp; forehead bare, XXX BIRDS. 89. Sheath-Bill - Bill strong, conic; nostrils covered with a moveable cere. 90, Cereopsis - < Bill convex, declining at the tip; face before the eyes bare. ** With Three Toes, placed forwards. 82 Plover - - - Bill roundish, strait. 83. Courser- - - Bill roundish, bent at the tip. 8£. Oister-Catcher Bill somewhat compressed, cuneated at the tip. ORDER VIII. WITH PINNATED FEET. 91. Phalarope - = Bill slender, strait, a trifle bent at the tip. 92. Finfoot - - = Bill moderately curved, pointed, and elongated, 93. Coot- - - = Bill conic, somewhat compressed, front bare. 94. Grebe - - - Bill strait, sharp; legs placed far behind, tail wanting. ORDER IX. WEB-FOOTED. * With Long Legs. Bill slender, depressed, turning upwards at the end. 95. Avoset - - - 96. Courier- - - Bill short, strait, smooth-edged. 97. Flamingo - - Bill bent, denticulated, inclining downward. 98. 99. 109. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 1x0. 111. ** With Short Legs. Albatross Bill bent at the end, lower mandible truncated; back toe wanting. Auk - - - - Bill compressed, transversely. sulcated on the sides; back toe wanting. Guillemot - = Bill strait, sharp; back toe wanting. Bill strait, sharp, compressed on the sides; legs placed almost at Diver - - = the vent. Bill greatly compressed, the upper mandible shorter. Tern- - - - Bill pointed, compressed at the tip. ; Gull- - = - Bill bending at the point, near which it is gibbous beneath. Bill hooked at the end, with cylindric tubular nostrils; a spur instead of a hind toe. Goosander - - Bill witha bent nail at the end, and denticulated, or sawed on the sides, Duck - - <- Bill with a nail at the end, and lamellated on the sides. Bill strait, inclining downwards; wings imitating fins, and useless for flight. Bill naked round the base; gullet naked, and capable of great distension. Tropic Bird - Bill cultrated, compressed, serrated. Bill subulated, serrated ; neck very long. Skimmer - - Petrel - - = Penguin - Pelican - Darter - - - BIRDS. DIVISION I. LAND BIRDS. ORDER I. RAPACIOUS. GENUS I. VULTURE. 4 Condur 10 Kolben’s 23° Arabian 2 Californian 11 Sociable 24 Abyssinian 3 White-winged 12 Angola 25 Chincou 4 White-rumped 13 Maltese 26 Chagoun 5 King 14 Pondicherry 27 New Holland A Varied 15 Cinereous 28 Cheriway 6 Painted 16 Bengal 29 Bold 7 Carrion 17 Ash-coloured 30 Plaintive 8 Urubnu 18 Hare 31 Bearded A Iota 19 Indian A Variety 9 Alpine 20 Tawny B Golden A Variety 21 Gingi C Variety B Variety 22 Chocolate 32 Black IN the Vulture Genus the bill is strait, hooked chiefly at the end. Base covered with a naked skin. Head, cheeks, and often the neck, either naked, or ill clothed with down, or short hairs. VOL. B 2 VULTURE. Neck, retractile. Craw, often hanging over the breast. Legs and feet covered with great scales. The outer toe joined to the middle one by a strong membrane. Claws large, not much hooked, and blunt. It may be observed, that the shape of the bill does not suffi- ciently characterise this genus, as many of the Falcons have it strait at the base likewise, though, for the most part, the point is more crooked and sharp than in the Vulture. Perhaps the scarcity of feathers on the head and neck, and in many a total want of them, may form a better distinction. It is by all agreed, that no true Vulture will kill its prey, coveting only such animals as are already dead, and becoming putrid. Though it is mentioned, that large flecks of them some- times alight on asick or maimed animal, and, attacking it altogether, finish its existence, but this may be supposed to happen only when pressed by extreme hunger, as authors inform us, that when left to themselves they rather prefer flesh already tainted than fresh meat, and their sense of smelling being exquisite, they are enabled to scent a dead carcase many miles off, and accordingly fly to it from all quarters. In this circumstance of their disposition I am clear, in respect to the Carrion Vulture of Jamaica—two of which I kept alive for some time in my garden. They would, indeed, eat raw flesh, but expressed particular pleasure when any tainted food was offered them—fluttermg with expanded wings, and falling on with double appearance of appetite, as well as devouring twice the quantity as at other times. It is observed that Vultures, in general, are fewer in number in proportion to the coldness of the climate, and in the more northern regions, are wholly wanting. A kind disposition of providence this, lest the putrid effluvia of the dead, should, m the hotter countries, too much injure the health of the living. However, some will be found, wherein both the Vulture and Falcon are so strongly marked, Fy + Cs 407 , = i aebeet . = ae : ree. RE gs Yeap, Fae , ial al be oe pe nt i a) a ? * (ue oe ae . VolturGryphus, Tad. Orn. i. p.1. Lin Sigal Ges Lint. O45; wile ‘ Bris. Orn.'i. 478. Td. 8vo. 137. Bewewk. Net. i. GQ Hacyel. Brit. svi pk 510. Raiie Syw. p. 1. Humboldt, Pup qh &% a Vultur Magellanicus, Lev. Mas, p. i. pis by Prmmaites Vultur Condor, Condur, Buy. vin. i. IS. Pree, Faye. VER. alii Pan, 1%. Chit: 286. 94. Pr, od. B47, Dowd. Ore; ae % aaah ah icd Catherte, Tow. Man. oR Aad. p. xtvsh a Sevormnpheas, PC rtlser, deem *. : : Condur Yuitor, Gen. Sym i. ped A Sap b sill Nea ee ee an oP Cointhdt: pee he these few jan) has rensiill great obseurity, having baie mfomnded with others of the not witilike Meine: in the pein r rounded with « white reff, Shiney NN aa fine ™ hairy texture. Lesser wing coverts’ wivdlly\bheak, “the same, with greyish white ends, the greater, half black and helt wks - Gest quills plats oe ieee w tS \ VULTURE. oO even, fourteen inches long, black; thigh feathers long. Legs stout, reddish brown ; claws black and blunt. The other bird had nearly the same extent of wing, was rather less in size, but, except in wanting the carunculated membrane on the crown, one description might serve—whether this is a female or young male bird, cannot precisely be said, but most probably the former. The above were brought from the Straits of Magellan, by Capt. Middleton, but they are also found in other parts of South America, and have been mentioned, though imperfectly, by various authors. In the year 1691, one is said to have been met with in lat. 33, south, not far from the Island Mocha, im the South Seas, whose extent of wing was sixteen feet. This was black and white, like a magpie, and had a crest or comb, sharp, like a razor. The seamen shot it on a cliff by the sea side, and supposing it to be a kind of turkey, made a meal of it. In Spilburgen’s Voyage, ch. 7. it is mentioned, that two fowls were taken in the Island of Loubest, in beak, wings, and talons, resembling an eagle, with combs on their heads like cocks, being two ells in height, and three in breadth, from the tip of one wing to that of the other, when extended—and, in Hawkesworth’s Voyages,t one is said to have been shot at Port Desire, off Penguin’s Island, of which this description is given :—<‘ The head resembled “that of an eagle, except that it had a large comb upon it. Round “the neck it had a white ruff, exactly resembling a lady’s tippet: the ‘feathers on the back as black as jet, and as bright as the finest ‘polish could render that mineral: the legs were remarkably strong “and large, and the wings, when extended, measured, from point to ** point, no less than twelve feet.” * Phil. Trans. 18. p. 61.---Raii. Syn. Av. p. 11. + This is not far from Peyta, in South America, + Vol. 1. p. 15, 6 VULTURE. Molina, in his History of Chili, observes, that the female is somewhat smaller than the male, brown in colour, having no ruff round the neck, but a small crest at the nape. He says, they make the nest among the most imaccessible rocks, and lay two white eggs—- that they feed on dead carcases—and there being no wolves in Chili; these birds supply the place of them, often flying in flocks, and preying on sheep and goats, and even young calves, if straying too far from their dams, first plucking out the eyes, and afterwards tear- ing them to pieces. On this account the country people use various stratagems to take or destroy such fierce enemies, for, when glutted with food, and unable to rise freely, they attack them with clubs, and easily subdue them; they are, however, m general, sufficiently active, and known to the inhabitants by the name of Manque. This author adds, that the largest seen by him had an extent of wing exceeding fourteen feet, and supposes it to be the same as the Laemmergeyer of Europe; but we believe that, however similar they may be in manners, these two birds are distinct from each other as species. The account given by M. Humboldt greatly comeides with what is said above, but observes, that he has not met with any specimen beyond three feet seven inches in length, and eight feet nine inches in breadth, though he admits they may sometimes exceed these dimen- sions ;* and adds, that the colour is not always black, but for the most part raven grey. The young bird is covered, for several months, with a deep thick down, so full as to enlarge the appearance to the size of a full-grown bird. At first the plumage is tawny brown, not arriving at the black colour till after two years. In December, 1809, a bird was exhibited in Piccadilly, alive, and called a Condur : it approached in size to that bird, but was uniformly of a brown and dusky colour, without the least trace of * Tn another place he talks of the dimensions being eleven feet. VULTURE. 7 white on the wings. The head naked, and furnished with an elevated, indented comb, with the addition of wattles on the sides, but the naked parts wholly brown. This bird was not very young, having been in possession of the owner more than twelve months. It seems to form a link between the Condur, now sufficiently known, and the Californian Vulture, but whether allied to either, or form- ing a distinct species, we cannot at present determine. 2.—CALIFORNIAN. Vultar Californianus, Ind. Orn. Sup. p. ii. Nat. Mise. pl. 301. Shaw’s Zool. v. vii. p. 10. Catharte, Tem. Man. ed. 2. Anal. p. xlviii. Californian Vulture, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 3. THIS isa large species, nearly approaching in size to the Condur. The bill pale ; plumage in general black; but the second quills have whitish tips, and the wing coverts incline to brown; under wing coverts mixed with white. The wings, when closed, reach beyond the tail. The head and neck are bare and dusky ; across the breast, a darker bar, and two others of the same on the hind-head ;_ the lower parts of the neck surrounded with a ruff of slender black feathers ; under parts of the body covered with loose downy ones. Tail, even at the end. Legs, black. This bird was brought from California, by Mr. Menzies, in his expedition with Capt. Vancouver, and is now in the British Museum. It seems to have some affinity with the Condur. 8 VULTURE. 3.—W HITE-WINGED. LENGTH, three feet; bill, black; irides, brown; head and neck, hare, and the colour of raw flesh; round the eye, and back part of the head, red brown, and dewny. The plumage, in general, dusky black; some of the larger wing coverts, or second quills, white, with black ends, giving the appearance, when the wings are clesed, of a white rump—the second quills otherwise brown, with black ends; greater quills and tail, black; on the breast, bare and white ; in the middle of it, a callous brewn space, surrounded with red at the base—before the thighs, a second, much the same in appearance ; the thigh feathers hang over the joint ; legs, dusky red. Native place, uncertain. It seems to approach both te the Condur and Californian species, but how far allied to either, must rest on future observation. 4.—W HITE-RUMPED. SIZE, uncertain; bill, moderately hooked and black; cere, and the base of the under mandible, dull oker colour; sides of the head, round the eye, bare and red; chin and throat the same. Plumage, wholly deep brown black, except the upper tail coverts, which are m great part white ; legs, stout and yellow; claws, black and bent; the tail pretty long ; and the wings, when closed, reach to about the middle of it. The above is described from the collection of drawings, in the possession of John Dent, Esq. but without any account annexed, nor are we certain it is not allied to the preceding. Y uy ug ¥/ Ape t fs ¥ wee +9 i St Rin Ney A é ' i ae, 5 Sak eam ph Raa i sa Si Va ne a fe vy | wal » th Co ed ah ae aa | ee a nih Put + et oe ra : ve Pe ilar Mahl aby a emt arm OR gu a i ' * ica oat ‘ ath Salt UL jal ane Airy Lie (Lae VULTURE. 9 5.—KING.—Pt. II. Vultur Papa, Ind. ’Orn.i. 4. Lin. Syst.i. 122. Gm. Lin.i. 246. Daud. ii. 9. pl.ix. Bris. i. 470. t. 36. Id. 8vo. i. 138. Gertn. i. t. 12. Borowsk. Nat. Ixi. t. 1. Spalowsk. Vog.i. t.2. Levail: pl. xiii. Schrif. d. Berl. Gessell. ix. t. 8 (caput). Shaw. Zool. vii. 39. pl. xii. Regina Auraram, Will. 362. Td. (Angl.) 390. Vultur Monachus, Kein. Av. p. 46. Cozcacoauhtli, Rati. 161, L’Iriburubicha, Voy. de Azara. ii. p. 17. Tzopilotl, o Rey de les Buytres, Gabin. de Madrid.i. 43. lam, 19. Roi des Vautours, Buff. i. 169. pl.6. Pl. Enl. 428. Catharte, Tem. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. xlviii. King Vulture, Gen. Syn. i. p.7. Id. Sup.ii. p.7. Edw. pl. ii. THIS elegant species is about the size of a hen turkey; length, two feet four inches; bill, black in the middle and red at the end; cere, orange coloured, continued on the upper part, so as to form a carunculated and dentated skin or flap, which hangs pendulous over the bill; round the eyes, saffron colours irides, whitish; crown of the head and neck bare, and the whele capable of being drawn into a large ruff of loose ash coloured feathers, placed on the shoulders ; a fillet of blackish down encompasses the head, taking rise from the hind head; at the corner of the mouth, near the eye, is a purplish brown spot; plwnage, reddish buff colour above, and beneath yel- lowish white; quills greenish black ; tail black ; craw pendulous and orange coloured ; legs dirty white ; dae black. Inhabits South America and the West Indian Islands; lives on carrion, and excrements ef all kinds; preys also upen rats, lizards, and snakes. From the nature of the food, the smell of it is very disagreeable. ‘The flight of this bird is said to be strong, as it is often seen suspending itself in the air very readily, against the most boisterous wind. VOL. I. Cc 10 VULTURE., The King Vulture is rarely seen in flocks of more than two or three together, but more frequently mix, one or more, with the Carrion Vultures, whieh are in large troops, and probably from this, has obtained the name of King of the Vultures. It does net gain the complete plumage till the fourth year—in the first it is wholly ef dusky blue, with only the rump and belly white, putting on different appearances from year to year, till it gains the entire dress of the adult; said to lay only two eggs. A.—Le Roi des Vautours varié, Levail. Otis. pl. 13. Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 8. This seems to be a variety from age, havmg many black feathers mixed among the white ones, on the neck and upper parts. Hence M. Levaillant supposes that these birds are black or dusky while young, and change to the pure white, or cream colour, as they ap- proach the adult state; and, indeed, Dampier mentions that some are altogether white, but their feathers look as if they were sullied, with bald heads and necks like the rest ; and adds, we never see above one or two of these together, and seldom a great number ef black ones without a white one among them. VULTURE! Il 6.—PAINTED. Vultur Sacra, White tailed Vulture, Bartr. Tr. 148, 285, 493. Damp. Voy. ii. pl. 2. p- 67. Vautour 4 Queue Blanche, Vietll. Amer. i. p. 26. THIS is thought, by Mr. Bartram, to differ specifically from the King Vulture—said to be about the size of the Carrion species, but the wings much shorter, and therefore of less extent, and more difli- cult flight. -The bill long, strait to near the point, where it is bent and sharp; irides, gold coloured; head and neck, almost as far as the stemach, bare; the crown red, with lobed lappets, of a reddish orange, lying on the base of the upper mandible; the skin of the neck, loose and wrinkled, bright red, intermixed with coral red, the hind part nearly covered with short stiff hair, the colour of dun purple, gradually changing to red, as it approaches forwards; on the breast before, a pouch or wallet, naked and pear shaped, not very conspicuous, unless the stomach is full; round the lower part of the neck the feathers are long and seft, ferming a ruff, into which the bird can contract, and hide the head and neck at will. The plumage of the body, white or cream coloured, but the quills, and two or three rows of the coyerts, beautiful dark brown; tail, large and white, tipped with dark brown or black; legs clear white. This Mr. Bartram met with on the Moschito River, about New Smyrna, in East Florida, and talks of it as a new species, by the name of Painted Vulture. The Creek Indians, er Muscogulges, construct the royal standard of the tail feathers of this bird, calling it by a name which signifies the Eagle's Tail. It is carried by them when they go to battle, but is then painted with a zone of red within the brown end. This standard is held most sacred by them, and ornamented with great ingenuity. These birds seldom appear C2 12 VULTURE: but when the desarts are set on fire, which happens almost daily, in some part er other, for the purpose of rousing game, &e.; and not unfrequently by lightning,, by which. multitudes ef serpents, frogs, and lizards, are scorched to death, and serve as dainty morsels to the: Vultures, which flock to such parts, to feed on them, and often so. glut themselves, as to fall an easy prey to the hunter. 7.—CARRION.—Pr. IIT. Vultur Aura. Ind. Orn. 1. pe 4. Lin. Syst.1. 122. Gm. Lin. i. 246. Daud. ii. 19.- Shaw’s Zool. vii. 36. Amer. Orn. ix. 96. pl. 75. 1. Vultur Brasiliensis, Urubu, Fzopilotl, Aura, Rati. p.10, 180. Will. 56. Id. Angl.- 68. Briss. i. 468. Id. 8vo0. 135. Klein. Av. 44. Gerini. t.-13.. Gallinazo, Ulloa. It. 60. Id. Voy- 56. L’Acabiray, Voy. d’ Azar. i. p. 23. Vautour du Bresil, Buf.1. 175. Catharte, Fem. Man. Ed. 2. Anal..p. xlviii. Turkey Buzzard, Cat. Car. i. pl.6 Phal. Trans. xvii. 991.. Carrion Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. p.5. Id. Sup. p.2. Sloan. Jam. ii. p. 254. Brown Jam. 471. Damp. Voy. ii. ph 2. p. 6%. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 86. Wood's Zoogr. i375: THIS bird is nearly the samesize as the King Vulture; general length, about two feet; extent of wing, four feet or more; the bill white, with a black tip; irides, bluish saffron colour; the head and part of the neck, bare and rufous red; sides of the head warted, as in the turkey; whole plumage, brown black with a purplish amd: green gloss m different lights; quills and tail somewhat darker than. the rest, the last near seven inches long, and cuneiform; legs flesh colour, smooth before; at the usual place of the neck the. feathers are rather fuller and more slender, but scarcely sufficient to censti- tute, what may be called a ruff, except in very old birds. | Bo aVAis-. GSS “Wh Id VULTURE: 13 This inhabits both North and South America, as also the West India islands, and very common in Paraguay. It feeds on dead carcasses, snakes, and other reptiles, and, from this circumstance, becomes very offensive in smell. It is gregarious, resting, in num- bers, on trees, during the night, in the manner of rooks in Europe. Makes the nest on mountains covered with brushwood, in a hollow tree, or log, laying two and sometimes as far as four white eggs, with reddish markings, about 2$in. long and 2in. broad—is seen about Pensylvania in summer, passing to the south as winter approaches. These are esteemed most useful in the places where they resort, and secures their safety, which is further promoted by a penalty for killing one, and this law was, not many years since, in force, if not continued to the present time, in Jamaica and other West India islands. When taken young, will often become very tame, if not familiar. Two of them having been brought alive to England, were given to me, and mhabited my garden, with some degree of cordiality, during one summer, but an unexpected cold night killed one of them; and though additional shelter was afforded to its com- panion, it did not long survive.* In a wild state, their scent is most exquisite: if a hog or other animal is killed, they collect in num- bers, from considerable distances, a few minutes after ;—young lambs frequently fall a prey to them, as well as pigs, soon after their being farrowed. The general measure of those found at Georgia, in America, according to the information of Mr. Abbot, is 29 in. from the point of the bill to the end of the tail ; extent of wings, six feet. * M. d’Azara confirms it, and mentions more than one instance, where the bird would follow his master, for several leagues, when on a journey, by flying over his head, and sleeping at night on the top of the carriage; and that it is not unfrequent to see these birds tame about ashouse, like other domestic animals, 14 VULTURE. 8.—URUBU. Vultur Urubu, Vieillot Ois. Amer. 23. pl. 2. Vultur Atratus, Black Vulture, or Carrion Crow, Bartr. Tr. 150. 285. Amer. Orn. ix. 104. pl. 75. 2. Vautour du Bresil, pl. end. 187. L’Inbu, Voy. d’ Azar. iii. p. 20. Catharte, Tem. Man. ed. 2. Anal. p. xlviit. THIS is smaller than the last—the length 25in. breadth 4 ft. 10in. bill 24in. long, and legs white; irides reddish hazel. The head and neck are covered with a pale ash coloured down, mixed with a few hairs, but not carunculated ; the plumage, plain bluish grey, but in old birds nearly black, with some degree of gloss; wings yellowish white beneath; the tail shorter than in the last described, and even at the end; the bill and legs are both rather longer than in the Carrion Vulture. Inhabits the warmer parts ef America, equally with the other, and though certainly distinct, the two haye been generally mistaken for one and the same species—indeed, the manners do not essentially differ, but the Urubu does not fly with the same ease as the Carrion species; it seems to labour more in flight, flapping the wings con- siderably, then sails for a little way, but is soon obliged to flap the wings again, as if recovering itself from falling. This species is rarely seen north of Carolina, and said to build its nest on the rocks,* laying two sooty white eggs; is common in Georgia, with the former. Mr. Abbot observes, that the two will by no means feed on each other, for though they may be allured by the scent of a dead compa- nion, and meet in numbers on the spot, not one will attempt to eat it. * Or large trees in low wet swamps, and to go there every evening to roost. Amer. Orn. VULTURE. 15 Vultures in general, while young, are covered with a thick whitish down; so itis with the present one, giving the appearance, at a distance, of a white bird, but this down is by degrees thrust aside, as the true feathers appear. Independent of other food, both the last described concur in destroying the eggs of the alligator, which are deposited, to the number at least of 100 in each nest, which is in form of an obtuse cone, four feet high, and more in diameter, bemg constructed with mud, grass, and herbage; in this the eggs are laid, layer upon layer, till the whole is deposited, and they are hatched by the warmth of the sun; but the Vultures keep watch, and as soon as the alligator departs, scrape away the sand, and destroy as many of the eggs as they can, as they furnish to them a delicate repast. The natives, too, think the eggs far from despicable.* They are a tame species, and walk, without fear, abeut the town, where the hog butchers reside, in great numbers, like domestic fowls, ‘and quarrel with each other for the offal.t A.—Vultur Iota, Ind. Orn.i. 5. 8. 8, Molin. Chil. 235. Id. ed. gal. 245. Gm. Lin. i. 247. 5. B. This is said, by Molina, to have a grey bill, with a black point; the plumage wholly black, except the quills and legs, which are brown; head covered with a rough rufous skin. When young the bird is nearly white, changing into black by degrees; first a black spot appears on the back, which gradually enlarges, till the whole body becomes of that colour. | It is described as an indolent species, making a careless nest of dry leaves and feathers, in the hollows of rocks, and sometimes on the ground, and lays two white eggs. M. Vieillot, whe mentions this bird, thinks that it is not a variety of the foregoing, but a young one, in imperfect plumage. * See Bartram’s Travels. t+ Mr. Abbot. 16 VULTURE: 9.—ALPINE. Vultur Percnopterus, Ind. Orn.i. p-2. Lin. Syst.i. 123. Gm. Lin. i. 249. Goel. It. il. 364. p.37. Borowsk. Nat. uu. 65. Nat. Mise. pl. 141. Shaw. Zool. vii. p. 33. Fn. Arag. p. 67. Sepp. Vog. 5. t. p. 395, Le Perecnoptere, Buf. i. 149. Pl. Enl. 426 (the female). Levail. Voy. 8yo. i. 48. Daud. Orn. ii. 13. Grossester Geyer, Naturf. 8. S. 41. Catharte, Tem: Man. ed. 2. Anal. p. xlviii. Alpine Vulture, Gen. Syn. 1. 12. Id. Sup. p.3. Sup. ii. p. 4. THIS measures often more than two feet in length—the bill is black, with a yellow cere; head and neck covered with a pale yellowish down, at the lewer part the feathers narrow and elongated, but scarcely in quantity sufficient to be ealled a ruff. The plumage, in general, is white, except the quills, which are black with heary edges, and the two outer wholly black. A.—Vultur Egyptius, Ind. Orn.i. p.2. No. 3.8. Bris.i. 457. Id. 8vo. 1. 131. Gm. Lin.i. 249. Belon. Obs. 110.t. p. 111. Aldr. Av. i. 378. t. p. 379. Sacre d’Egypte, Buf. i. 167. Egyptian Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. 13. _ Size of a kite, with the plumage of a rufous ash colour, spotted with brown; in other respects not unlike the last, and is probably a young bird. Is common about the Pyramids ef Egypt, hvmg on carrion, and is, as well as the Ibis, in great esteem, for destroying snakes and- reptiles; hence it may be observed frequently engraven in plates—is called, about Grand Cairo, Achbobba.* * Shaw’s Tray. ii. pp. 9. 92. VULTURE, 17 B.—Vultur fulvus, Ind. Orn. i. p.6. Bris.i. 462. Id. Svo. i. 1382. Gerin. Orn. i. t. 10. Gmel. It. iv. 179. Pall. n. Nord. Beytr. iv. 58. Gin. Lin. 1. 249. Daud. Orn. ii. 17. Shaw. Zool. vii. p.27. pl. 11. Tem. Man. p.3. dd. ed. 2. p.G, Vultur fulvus beetico congener, Rati p.10. Will. p. 36. t.4. f. 1, Griffon, Buf. 1. 151. Robert. Ic. pl. x. Fulvous Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. 17. Will. Eng. 67. Alb. ii. t. 1. THE length of this bird is 3ft. Gin. breadth 8ft. bill blue grey, with a black tip; head, neck, and ruff, white; plumage, above rufous grey, with some mixture of white on the wing coverts; quills and tail black ; the middle of the breast bare of feathers, being only covered with down, like the neck; under parts of the body mixed with rufous grey; legs downy, and ash coloured; claws black. The difficulty of ascertaming the different species is in no instance stronger than in the Vulture Genus, as has been elsewhere remarked. This is likely to continue, unless the traveller and man of science could be oftener united in one person. In respect to the three last described birds, it has been noticed, by a very intelligent naturalist,* and accurate observer, that they all form but one species, which he had the opportunity of identifying, during a jong residence at Gibraltar, at which place they are to be seen in all their various stages, at different seasons; great allowance being likewise made, not only for the different periods of age or sex, independent of the bird bemmg im a healthy and plump state, or in an emaciated condition. These mhabit the rock of Gibraltar, at various seasons; sup- posed to come from Barbary, and other parts of Africa, im their way to Spain, where they are also met with, and, we believe, occasionally in other warmer parts of Europe. They generally pass in flocks of * The late Rev. John White, who had his doubts whether even the Cinereous Vulture was not a further variety. VOL. I. D 18 VULTURE, forty or fifty, and some fall in or near Gibraltar, from fatigue, being exhausted from the length of their flight, and will frequently become tame. They are, in general, sluggish and timid, being afraid even of the common poultry. The flesh of dead animals is the food they most greedily search after, and the more putrid, the more agreeable ; but as to fish, it is generally rejected. They are fond of rolling themselves in the dust, like common poultry: when wetted by rain, expand, and flap their wings, in order to dry them, like the corvorant. In a state of confinement, are observed not only to drink water, but delighted when a quantity of it is thrown over them. M. Levaillant says, they are met with frequently at the Cape of Good Hope; and M. de la Peirouse** observes, that the adult male is white, the female brown, and whilst growing, and yet young, are often of a pale colour; spotted yellow and brown above, and yellow beneath, and differ so materially from the old ones, as to deceive the inexperienced. Gmelin found the Fulvous and Golden Vultures eae on the Alpe Mountains of Persia. ; In Gen. Hardwicke’s drawings is a Vulture, three feet or more in length ; head and whole neck bare of feathers, but white and rather downy; round the eyes and chin dusky; bill black, moderately hooked; irides brown; on the breast a bare pendulous craw or crop, pear shaped, near bit inches long, and dirty flesh colour; upper part of the plumage in general tawny brown, the feathers marked down the shaft with a pale streak; under parts of the body. pale yellowish, with paler streaks on the -thighs; quills and tail black ; legs ash coloured, spotted with black ; claws black, and hooked:; seen at Cawnpore, in January. i" * Neu. Abh. der Schw. Ac. der Wiss. S. 19. VULTURE. 19 10.—KOLBEN’S. Vultur Kolbii, Ind. Orn. Sup.. p.1. Daud. 1. p.15. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.4. Id. ed. 2. p- 6. Le Chasse-fiente, Levai/. Ois. pl. x. Kolben’s Vulture, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 12. THIS is not quite so big as the last, but more common. The bill is pale lead colour; inides deep brown; head and neck bare, except a few scattered hairs, and of a pale dirty yellow; round the lower part of the neck isa pale coloured ruff of loose feathers; the plumage is mostly pale-tawny yellowish, or Isabella colour; quills and tail black, the latter very little exceeding. The male is smaller than the female. Inhabits every where im Africa, but the Sociable Vulture chiefly in the confines of the European plantations—it frequents the rocks or high mountains, which cover the point of Africa from Cape Town to Kalse Bay. Is a voracious and tame species, approaching near to habitations, and even the streets of the Cape, feeding on every kind of offal, devouring also crabs, shell fish, land turtles &e. M.'Temminck, supposes it to belong to the Fulvous Vulture, and a bird in imperfect plumage. M. Leyaillant observes, that it is different from the Alpine Vulture, as it has not the heart-shaped spot on the breast. The colour is greatly different, and the wings longer in proportion—is probably a young bird, of the following species. Kolben’s Vulture is said to be larger than a wild goose, partly black, partly light grey; bill sharp and crooked, and the talons very large and sharp; that they are in bodies of 100 or more ; will attack a sick or tired ox, and devour him, beginning at the belly, and so tear out the flesh from under the skin, as to leave merely that and the bones, before they quit the carcase. D2 20 VULTURE. 4 11.—SOCIABLE. Vultur auricularis, Ind. Orn. Sup. p.i. Daudin. Orn. ii. p. 10. L’Oricou, Levaill. Ois.i. pl. 9. Shaw’s Zool. vii. pl. 10. Sociable Vulture, Syn. Sup. 2d. p. 11. THIS is a large species, and measures ten feet from wing to wing extended. The bill moderately hooked, pale brown; cere horn colour; irides chesnut brown; head and neck naked, flesh celoured, beset with a few stragglmg brownish hairs; throat blackish; plumage, above dark brown, the edges of the feathers paler; at the back of the neck a pale brown ruff; and some loose feathers of the same, mixed with white, hang over the breast, contmuimg to the vent; into this ruff the bird draws down his head at will. The thighs are covered below the knees with whitish down ; under parts of the body the same; tail somewhat cuneiform; legs brown and scaly; claws black. Inhabits the interior of the Cape of Good Hope, but not seen at the Cape itself; builds among the rocks, and lays two or three white eggs. Is not the most solitary species, for three or four nests have been found by the side of each other. The natives call it Ghaip. By the Dutch colonists it is known by the name of Black Carrion Bird. VULTURE. 21 12:—ANGOLA. Vultur Angolensis, Ind. Orn. i. p.7. Gm. Lin. i. 252. Mus. Lev. t.i. Daud. Orn. ii. pp- 21. 27. Cathartes Percnopterus, Catharte Alimoche, Tem. Man. d'Orn. p. & L’Ourigourap, Levaz/l. Ois. 62. pl. 14. Vautour de Norvege, Pl. enl. 429.* Rachamah, Bruce Tr. 5.t. p. 163. Angola Vulture, Gen. Syn. i. 18. Penn. Wales. i. 228. t. 19. THIS is about half as big again as the kite—the bill whitish, long, and but little hooked; cere bluish; orbits flesh coloured and naked ; irides straw coloured; head and neck clothed with feathers; craw pendulous; plumage in general snow white; greater wing coverts and primaries black, the last tipped with white; lower part of the tail black, the end white; legs dirty white and scaly. Two of these were brought from Angola, and placed in the collection of Richard Parry Price, Esq. at Brynn y Pys; they were very restless and querulous, and more active than is usual with this sluggish race. One of them was preserved after death, and long filled a place in the museum of the late Sir Ashton Lever. Levaillant found it at the Cape of Good Hope. * In this Plate the tail is wholly white. 22 VULTURE. 13.—MALTESE. Vultur fuscus, Ind. Orn.i. p. 5. Gar. Lin. 1.248, Bris. 1. 455. Id. Svo. 130. Daudin. - Orn. ii. p. 18. Tem. Man.d’ Orn. p.5. 18. Id. Ed. 2. p. 9. Vultur Vilain, Zool. des Pyr. (Piest de la Perouse). Avoltaio, Griffon, Cet. Uc. Sard. p. 1. j Vautour de Malte, Buf.i. 161. PI. enl. 427. Maltese Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. 15. SIZE of a small turkey. Bill black; head covered with brown down ; neck clothed with narrow feathers; plumage m general brown; prime quills darker, and white at the tips, spotted with brown ; tail grey brown; legs naked, yellowish. This is not uncommon at Malta and Sardinia. We have eee it to be a further variety of the Ash-coloured Vulture, but, according to M. Temminck, it is a young bird of the Angola Vulture, in the first years plumage. 14.—PONDICHERRY. Vultur Ponticerianus, Ind. Orn. i. p.7. Daud. ii. p. 11. Shaw's Zool. vii. p. 25. Nai. Misc. pl. 941. Vautour Royal de Pondichery, Son. Voy. Ind.ii. p. 104. Pondicherry Vulture, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 6. SIZE of a goose. Bill black, hooked, short; base naked; head and neck naked and flesh coloured; hind head and between the bill and eyes downy, and flesh coloured; neck and breast tufted with fine feathers ; on each side of the neck a fleshy carunculated membrane, VULTURE. 23 reaching from the ears to the lower part of the neck; plumage in general otherwise black ; legs yellow. Inhabits the neighbourhood of Pondicherry; also found about Bengal, and other parts of India. 15.—CINEREOUS. Vultur cinereus, Ind. Orn.i. pol. Gmel. Lin.i. p. 247. Raii Syn. p.9. Will. Orn. p- 35. Klein. Av. p.44. Id. Ov. p. 18. t.5. £5. Faun. Arag. p.67. Daudin. Orn. p.16. Bris. Orn.i. p. 453. Id. 8yo. 130. Beckst. Deutsch.ii. s.197. t. viii. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.2. Id. Ed. 2. p.4. Arrian Geyer, VN. Schw. Abh. B3. 100. Allg. Ueb. d. Vog. I. p. 654. Vantour, Buf. Ois.i. p. 158. t.5. Pl. Enlwm. 425. Cinereous Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. p.14. Will. Orn. Engl.ed. p.66. No.1. THE length of this bird is 32 ft. breadth 72ft.; the head and upper part of the neck covered with brown down; under the throat is a kind of beard, composed of feathers like hair. The general colour of the plumage brown, but the quills and tail incline to ash colour; Brisson says, the legs are feathered to the toes, which are yellow; the claws black. In the Pl. Enlum. however, they are bare of feathers; and M. Temminck assures us that they are so. : Inhabits various parts of Europe; according to Beckstem, the length is 4ft. the breadth 9ft. the tail 14in. long, and the wings, when closed, reach three-fourths thereon. He says, it frequents mountains, but in the winter is chiefly seen in the plains, where it attacks sheep, hares, goats, and even deer. The farmers suffer severely from this bird, as it will frequently pick out the eyes of sheep, but as it is not a very shy species, it gives the huntsman some advantage, added to his being well paid for shooting so destructive an enemy. 24 VULTURE. 16—BENGAL.—PL. IV. Vultur Bengalensis, Ind. Orn.i. p.3. Gm. Lin.i. 245. Shaw's Zool. vii. p.30. Tem. Man. Ed. 2. p.5. Vultur Percnopterus, Fem. Husselq. It. 209. Id. Eng. 194. Bengal Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. 19. pl.1. Id. Sup. p.3. THIS is 23 ft. in length; bill dark coloured; irides brown; upper eye-lid furnished with hairs, like eye-lashes; head and neck covered with brown down, but quite bare on the fore part from the chin to the breast; round the lower part of the neck a sort of loose ruff, composed of longish narrow feathers; the plumage in general dark brown; the , shafts of the feathers pale; quills nearly black, with the same pale shafts; on the under part of the bedy the feathers are paler, but do not greatly differ; the crop hangs over the breast, as in some others of this genus; legs strong, warted, deep brown; claws black. This was brought from Bengal. Levaillant says, the size is equal to that of a turkey, and considering it as a species, thinks it to be the female, and that the male is pale dirty rufous white; the head, beyond the eyes, and throat, bare and saffron coloured; the rest of the neck behind feathered, but on the fore part downy; quills nearly black. The female is larger than the male, and the plumage less tinged with red. This author adds, that it frequents the sterile lands of Karow and Camdeboo, as also the country of Hottinqua, and other parts about the Cape of Good Hope; chiefly seen in pairs, except attracted by numbers of dead or putrid animals, when ten or twelve have been seen ina flock. They build among the rocks, and lay four eges; feed on putrid flesh, also lizards, snakes, frogs, and even excrements of beasts 5 are naturally tame, and not difficult to be shot. Dr. Shaw observes, that they are in abundance about Cairo, where it is a great breach of police to kill them, being esteemed sacred. PALLY. Laer rani 3 ea e De nega Villu te . Wiel 4 ry pire VULTURE. 25 This bird is well represented among the drawmgs of Sir John Anstruther, and about 40m. in length. The bill black; head and neck bare; the ruff round the neck loose; said to be very common at Hindustan, where it is called Gurra; in other parts of India known by the name of Kurges. The bird here described is by some supposed to be the young of the Angola Vulture, but we rather think it to be the Cinereous species, in its immature feathers. 17.—ASH-COLOURED. Vultur leucocephalus, Ind. Orn.i. p.2. Bris. 1.466. Id. 8vo.i. 134. Vultur percnopterus, Hasselq. It. 209. It. Poseg. 27. Faun. Arag. 67. 1. Vultur cinereus, Gerin. i. t. 14. Act. Stockh. 1751. 196. Hasselq. Vultur Albus, Rati. 10.6. Will. 35.6. Id. Eng. 67. Klein. 44.5. Id. Ov. 18. t. 5. f. 3. Le Petit Vautour, Buf. i. 164. Ash-coloured Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. p. 13. Var. A. THIS is said to be about the size of a large cock; the body soot coloured, spotted with chesnut; head and neck white, marked with brown lines; quills half white and half dusky; base of the tail white. Brisson’s bird had the base of the tail white, then brown, with the end white. We are doubtful whether this is a distinct species. 18.—H ARE. Vultur cristatus, Ind. Orn.i. p.6. Gm. Lin. i. 250. Briss. i. 460. Id. Svo 132. Daudin ii. p. 22. Beckst. Deutsch. 2. 202. Shaw. Zool. vii. 44. Vultur leporarius, Rati. p.10. Will.35. Klein. Av. 44. Id. Ov. t. 5 f.2. Gerin. 1. t. 9. Hasengeyer, Naturf. 8. S. 42. Vautour a Aigrettes, Buf. i. 159. Hare Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. 17. Will. Eng. p. 67. SIZE of the golden eagle; extent of wing sometimes more than six feet; bill black; irides hazel; plumage in general glossy reddish VOL. I. E 26 VULTURE. black, inclined to fulvous on the breast; legs bare of feathers, yellow; claws black; the feathers of the head elongated, and capable of being erected into a crest. This Vulture is found in the deep and thick forests of Prussia, and other parts of Germany, frequenting tall.trees, and preying on birds of all kinds, also on goats, deer, hares, and rabbits; flies very swift and runs so fast, as often to catch its prey, by chasing them down. When sitting or standing, it erects the crest, appearing, as it were, horned, the crest being in two parts; but during flights the crest is not visible. 19.—INDIAN. Vultur Indicus, Ind. Orn.i. 7. Daud. ii. 12. Shaw. Zool. vii. p. 26. Grand Vautour des Indes, Sen. Voy. Ind. ii. pl. 105. Indian Vulture, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 6. SIZE of a goose; bill, black; irides red; head and neck bare of feathers, and rufous; the head covered with a loose down, like hair; neck rather long, and beset with tufts of very fine feathers; those on the breast short, appearing as if clipped or shaved, and in the lower part of the neck they are long, narrow, and poimted, and bright rufous; the wing coverts, back, and rump, the colour of brown umber; and each feather tipped with a pale band; quills, tail, and legs black. ; Inhabits India, and is very voracious, found, in the day time, on the banks of the sea, waiting for the dead fish, which are thrown up; is fond also of putrid carcasses, which it often digs out of the ground ; it flies heavily, though the wings are very strong. ma rye wy ; Apetune’: be vee! si tas ‘ow ‘ 2 7 : : AP Pap i a uf? j A yl Kh 4 hh ay ae on - is ’ i Ta) Ap a) ay bth ie | a, cA ye : ree ; i RUN hy f bs ah tet ) : Ya ‘ ry PLY. CZ wee aw) Goye Wie. VULTURE, 27 20.—TAWNY. Vultur ambustus, Ind. Orn. i. 8. Daud. ii. 26. Shaw. Zool. vii. 44. Falco ambustus, Gm. Lin. i. 252. Tawny Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. 19, Brown Til, p. 2. pl. i. THE length of this bird is 2ft. 4in.; bill dusky, short, and thick; cere large, beset with bristles; between the bill and eyes naked ; the rest of the head covered with feathers; on the chin a tuft of long slender feathers, like a beard; plumage, in general, pale tawny; wing coverts mixed with brown; tail dirty white, barred with brown; legs slender, bluish; claws long, slightly bent. Inhabits Falkland Islands. 21.—GINGI.—PL. V. Vultur Ginginianus, Ind. Orn.i. 7. Daud. ii. 20. Shaw's Zool. viie p. 82. Vautour de Gingi, Son. Voy. Ind. ii. p. 184. Gingi Vulture, Gen. Syn. Sup. p.7. SIZE of a turkey; bill rather slender, hooked at the end, and greyish or dirty flesh colour; nostrils pervious ; irides red; base of the bill, front, and sides of the head bare, wrinkled, and reddish ; the crown covered with narrow feathers, much elongated, and capable of being erected into a crest, and when at its utmost elevation, several of them, curve forwards over the crown; the general colour of the rest of the plumage is also white; the second quills are black at the base and ends, and white in the middle; the greater ones wholly black; legs yellowish grey. E2 28 VULTURE. The female differs in having the long feathers at the back of the head shorter than in the male, and the skin of the head more smooth, This bird is not uncommon in various parts of India, on the coast of Coromandel, where it is called the wild turkey ; is pro- bably that mentioned, in Essais philosophiques, to be almost white ; the head and neck covered with fine short bristly feathers; with long quills, towards the end blackish grey; this is found to fly quick and light; to be very voracious and timid; generally found singly on some hillock in the marshes, where it feeds chiefly on carrion, but prefers reptiles. Tn the last named work * another is mentioned of the same size; the male marbled brown; female iron grey; head and half the neck naked; wrinkled, and covered with reddish yellow excrescences, with scattered hair between; said to be often met with in flocks of twenty or thirty, eating the flesh of a dead beast. Among the drawings, both of Sir J. Anstruther and Lord Va- lentia, are figures of a white one, corresponding with the above description, and is named Gid; a second, with the same appellation, as well as make and shape, with the plumage of reddish brown and grey in various shades; tail feathers pale at the ends; quills black; the feathers about the head and neck narrow and elongated, as in the white one; the bare space on the fore part of the head bluish dusky white; legs pale brown. From the names of both the white and the brown being alike, Gid, we may fairly suppose them to be one species, differing only in sex or age, except that word may signify a name for Vultures in general. One answering to the latter description, according to a drawing made by Mr. Salt, is also found in Abyssinia. Both these are among the drawings of Gen. Hardwicke; the brown one has the brown feathers more or less pale down the shaft, but on the breast and belly they enlarge into spots; on the back and * Ess, Philos. p. 58, VULTURE. 29 the shoulders, and down the middle of the wings, the colour inclines to buff; tail plain, pale ash colour; the legs of the white one pink ; of the other pale, nearly white, 22.—_ CHOCOLATE. THE general colour of the plumage deep chocolate brown ; middle wing coverts deep brownish red, or liyer colour, forming a sweeping bar across the wing; head and throat bare, and dirty red, but the back of the head and neck covered with feathers; crop or craw bare, dirty red; the bill nearly strait, or little curved, horn colour, with a conspicuous cere; legs stout, scaly, pale yellowish brown; claws almost strait, and whitish, TInhabits India, where it is called Gid, Length four feet; bill more than three inches, black ; under mandible brown; cere and base flesh colour; head covered with brown down; eye surrounded with a bare flesh coloured space—a streak of the same from behind’ to the hind head, and another on each lower jaw, the rest of the plumage wholly deep brown; the feathers round the throat formed as a ruff; the wings reach three- fourths on the tail; legs pale red, feathered halfway on the shins; claws rather hooked, Inhabits India,. probably allied to the last described——General Hardwicke, 30 VULTURE, 23.— ARABIAN. Vultur Mouachus, Ind. Orn.i. p.5. Lin. Syst. i. 122. Gm, Lin. i. 246.. Daud. ii. Ie. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 19. pl. 7. 8.9. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p. 3.. Vultur leporarius, Gerin. 1. t.9. Vultur Arabicus, Bris. App. p.29. Id. 8vo,i. 138. Crested Black Vulture, Edw. pl. 290. Arabian Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. p.8. THIS is a large species, having an extent of wing of nine feet ;: bill bluish at the base, with a black tip; cere blue ; irides hazel ; head: and neck covered with downy ash-coloured feathers; the crown. gibbous, bemg elevated into a large knob; orbits white; on the shoulders an ash-coloured ruff of loose feathers, into which the bird can draw its head during sleep. The plumage on the body is dusky brown, paler beneath ; lesser wing coverts tipped with white ; quills and tail dusky dark brown; thigh feathers long and loose, so as nearly to cover the legs, which are bluish ; claws black. M. Levaillant adds, that the irides are whitish, and the crop large and round. In a state of rest, especially after a full meal, it draws the head ito the ruff, resting the bill on the crop, m which state it appears a shapeless mass of feathers, especially as the bird is never observed to fold the wings ever the tail, but to droop them down carelessly on each side. M. Levaillant’s bird was brought from China. Mr. Edwards says, that his came from Arabia. La Perouse observes, that it is found about the Pyrenées, in the same place with the Cinereous Vulture. Mr. White saw it once or twice at Gibraltar, but itis, we believe, no where common. Supposed by some to be the same as the Cinereous Vulture. VULTURE, 3l 24.—ABYSSINIAN. MR. SALT * observes, that vast numbers of Vultures are found throughout Abyssinia, following the armies in times of war, and mentions a large one, which he supposes to be new. In this the bill is bright orange colour, strongly hooked ; the space under the orbit of the eye, and the whole of the neck bare, and flesh coloured ; its head dirty white, with a hood or crest of a spongy substance, covered with down on the back of it. It had a large ruff of dark feathers round the base of the neck, and the whole of the upper part of the body of a cmereous brown colour. 25.—CHINCOU. Le Chincou, Levaill. Ois. afr. pl.12. Daud. 2. p. 12. EXTENT of wing nine feet. The bill is bluish white, thick at the base, and horn coloured at the tip; plumage in general brown; on the top of the head is a loose downy crest; the rest of the head, cheeks, and throat, covered with a fine black down; eyelids white; on the neck a tuff of narrow slender feathers; forepart of the neck bluish; over the crop an appendage hanging like a bladder; quills and tail dusky ; legs whitish; claws horn colour. Said to inhabit China—in the menagerie of M. Ameshof, near Amsterdam. When this bird is at rest, it draws the head into the ruff, with the bill supported on the crop, and the wings drooping down. It is a very spiteful bird, and may be fed on raw flesh, which it devours very greedily. ' * Voy. Abyss. p. xliii. 32 VULTURE. 26.—CHAGOUN. Vautour Chagoun, Levaill. Ois. pl. 11. Daud. 2. p. 12. SIZE of a hen turkey; bill dusky horn colour; nostrils elongated, placed transversely m a black cere; plumage in general black-brown ; shafts of the breast and belly feathers white; on each wing a large white spot; quills and tail dusky; second quills bordered with rufous; legs grey; middle toe twice as long as those on each side; claws black; head and hind part of the neck covered with dirty white hairs; the lower with down, and a large white ruff; fore part of the neck bluish, with some straggling hairs; appendage on the crop covered with fine, silky, black-brown feathers. Inhabits Bengal, and called there Chagoun. 27.—NEW HOLLAND.—PL. VI. THE precise length and breadth of this fine Vulture I have not been able to ascertain, but it is of a large size, for when standing erect the head is 33im. from the ground. The bill is moderately hooked and black; the whole head and neck flesh coloured, inclining to orange ; round the eyes and on the cheeks quite bare, but the rest thick set with short black bristles; the back and wings dirty brown, with a silky gloss in some lights, appearing black ; the lower part of the back and rump brown black; the under part, from the breast, brown; the feathers narrowly edged with pale colour, but those of the breast are nearly black, and the pale margins broader, almost white ; middle of the belly and thighs slightly varied with the pale colour ; vent and under tail coverts loose, silky, and long, and in colour nearly BYVE- Ney H6lland Willtwre. an ea ee ee VULTURE, 33 black, Quills and tail rather darker than the back, the latter longish, rounded at the end, and the quills reach to about half its length. The legs and toes are moderately stout, dirty yellow, and scaly ; claws of the same colour, somewhat strait, and blunt at the ends, Inhabits New South Wales—Gen. Davies, 28.—CHERIWAY. Vultur Cheriway, Ind. Orn.i. p. 8. Shaw’s Zool. vii. p. 43. Falco Cheriway, Gm. Lin. i. 254. Jacq. Vog. p. 17. t.4. Daudin.ii. p. 42. Cheriway Vulture, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 5. THIS is full 23 feet m length. Bill pale blue; head and neck very pale yellow; hind-head crested; cere, and round the eyes rose colour; plumage in general ferruginous, paler beneath ; vent white ; quills and tail dusky black, the middle feathers of the latter barred with dusky ; legs pale yellow. Inhabits the Island of Aruba, on the coast of Venetzuela, in South America. ; 29.—BOLD. Vultur audax, Ind. Orn. Sup. p.ii. Shaw's Zool. vii. p. 45. Bold Vulture, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 10. SIZE uncertain. Bill pale yellow, with a black tip; plumage deep brown; sides of the head bare as far as the eyes, and somewhat beneath them, and the colour of these parts very pale; quills and VOL. I. F 34 VULTURE. tail darker than the rest of the body, nearly black; shims feathered to the toes, flesh colour, dotted with black. Inhabits New Holland, is a fierce species, and called Boorra Morang. The natives say, it kills the Pottegorang, and sometimes attacks the natives themselves. 30.—PLAINTIVE. Vultur plancus, Ind. Orn.i. 8. Shaw's Zool. vii. 41. Falco plancus, Gm. Lin. i. 257. Mill. ill. pl.17. Cook’s Voy. ii. 184. pl. 32. Daud. ii. 42. Plaintive Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. p.32. Id. Sup. p. 4. Vulture. THE length of this bird is 28in.; bill 2in. long, not much hooked, black; at about a quarter from the end begins a yellow cere, extending backwards round the eyes, almost to the top of the head. The nostrils placed. just within the cere. The colour of the whole of the bare parts yellow; the fore part of the neck is nearly destitute of feathers; top of the neck and head behind brown; the upper part of the body barred brown and white; wings brown; tail white, crossed. with blackish bars, and the end, for an inch, of the same colour; the base of the four first quills marked as the tail ; legs yellow; claws black, moderately hooked, and blunt at the end. Inhabits Terra del Fuego. VULTURE, 845 31.— BEARDED. Vultur barbatus, Jnd. Orn, i, p.3. Lin, Syst. i. 123.. Gm, Lin, i, 252. Falco, Gerin. Orn. i, p. 49. t. 11, Shaw's Zool. vii. p. 12. pl. 5. 6, Vultur alpinus, Bris.i, 464, Id. App. p.26, Id. 8vo. i. 133, Daud, Orn. ii. p. 25. pl. x. Percnopterus, s. Gypaétos, Raii. Syn. p. 8, Will, p.33, Id. Engl, p, 65. t.4. Storr. Alpenr. i. p, 69. Gypaétus barbatus, Gypaéte barbu, Tem. Man, d’Orn, p.6, Id. Ed.2. p. 11. Luemmergeyer, Buf. i. 193. Andr. Br. aus der Schw. p, 200. t. 12, 126, the head and foot. Dec. Russ.ii. pl. 8. Cox's Switz. ii. pl, in. p. 280. Der Bartgeyer, Beckst. Deutsch.. s. 199, Id. Ed. 2, vy, 2, p.502, Avoltoio barbato, Cet. Uc. Sard. p. 16, Vulturine Eagle, Albin. ii. t. 3. THE length of this bird is about four feet, breadth nine; weight twenty-two pounds; bill four inches long, of a dull flesh colour; the cere, and naked part about the eyes the same; eyelids red ; irides yellow hazel; the forehead black, passmg round the eyes, and. behind them; on each jaw a streak of black, and under the lower mandible is a large tuft of black feathers, hanging down like a beard, and divided into two at the point; mside of the mouth blue ; the head covered with white down; the neck with narrow, long, pointed, whitish feathers; plumage on the body blackish brown above, the feathers with paler edges; under parts brownish white, with a kind of gloss; quills and tail brownish ash colour; thighs very stout, Gin. long, and the legs only 4in. the latter covered with downy feathers; toes lead colour; claws brown. A.—Vultur barbarus, Ind. Orn. i. p. 3. Gmel. Lin. i. p. 250. Vultur barbatus, Bris. Orn. App. p. 26. Id. 8vo. i. p. 137. Bearded Vulture, Gen. Syn.i. p. 11. Id. Sup. ii. p.6. -Edw.t.106. Shaw's Zool, vii. p- 12. pl.5. Robert. Ic. pl. 2. This, which is the one figured by Edwards, is one-fourth smaller. The ‘bill purplish flesh colour; inside of the mouth blue ; F2 36 VULTURE. eyelids red; irides yellow; head downy; forehead, cheeks, and round the eyes black, narrowmg into a fillet behind each eye, meeting at the nape, and encircling the head; the neck covered with long, narrow, whitish feathers, and a tuft of black ones under the lower mandible; upper part of the back, &c. dark brown, under parts brownish white; legs downy; toes lead colour—the outer and middle one joined by a strong skin. This was brought from Santa Cruz, in Barbary. B.—Vultur aureus, Bris.i. 458. Id. 8vo. 132. Rai. Syn. p. 10. Nos.3 and 5. Will. Orn. p.35. Id. Engl. p.67. Pall. n. nord. Beytr.iv. 84. S. G. Gmel. It. iv. 185. Gesn. Av. t. in. p. 708. Vultur betleus, Rati. p.10. No.3. Will. p.35. No. 3. Chesnut Vulture, Will. Engl. p.6. No.3. - Golden Vulture, Will. Engl. p. 67. 5. t.4. Gen. Syn.i, p. 18. This Vulture is more than 43 ft.in length; head and hind part of the neck rufous white; body black above, and rufous beneath; quills and tail brown; shafts of the feathers on the upper parts white ; legs covered with rufous down, as far as the toes, which are brown ; claws horn colour, C.—Falco magnus, S. G. Gmelin It. iii. 365. t. 38. Gm. Lin. 1. 252. 38. y.. Ind. Orn. 1. p. 4. No. 6, y. This is said by Gmelin to have a blue cere; the plumage brown, and under part of the body chesnut with a mixture of white ; the tail ash colour. The two former of the birds recorded under this head as varieties of each other, or rather the same bird, seem to admit of no doubt; the two latter for want of a fuller description appear to be less certain, though Gmelin affirm it. The probability is, that they may prove to be the Vulture called Laemmergeyer* by the Germans, which is the Bearded Vulture. This bird is a very ferocious species, and conse- quently much dreaded. The places in which it is found are widely * Lamb Vulture=-but several of the Eagles equally destroy lambs. VULTURE. 37 extended ; is not unfrequently about Ghilan in Persia, where it preys not only on sheep, but calves; very common in Tyrol and the Switzer- land Alps, and the terror of the inhabitants. As it is the largest of European birds, great rewards are given for the killing one, more especially as they have been known to destroy young children. On this account, it is said, to be customary for parents, when obliged to be absent, to fasten their infants to trees, in order to prevent their being carried off. Supposed to breed chiefly in Egypt, as it is seen there in great flocks, among other birds of prey, which unite on the banks of the Nile, to feed on the putrid carcasses left there by the overflowing of that river. Is also an occasional inhabitant of Gibraltar, migrating there annually in the spring; they hover over the rock in pairs; are vulgarly called Rock Eagles, and seem disposed to reside and breed there, but are constantly assaulted and disturbed, not only by the jack daws, but by a pair of ravens, who claim an exclusive right to the district, and will not suffer any large bird of the Genus, or order, to breed there. Pallas observes, that this bird makes the nest and brings up its young on the high rocks of the great Altaic Chain, and beyond the Lake Baikal. 32.—BLACK. Vultur niger, Ind. Orn. i. p.6.. Gm. Lin.i. 248. Briss.i. 457. Jd. 8vo. i. 1381. Raid. p- 9. Will. 35. Daud. ii. 17. Shaw Zool. vii. 31. Swarthy Vulture, Charl. Ex. p.71. Black Vulture, Gen. Syn. i. 16. Will. Eng. p. 66. THIS is said to exceed the Golden Vulture in size; the plumage black, except the wings and tail, which are brown; legs feathered to the toes. This is frequently met with in Egypt. Mr. Temminck thinks it to be a young bird of the Bearded species. 38. SECRETARY, GENUS IT. SECRETARY. BILi shorter. than. the head, hooked, base covered witha cere,, Nostrils in the cere,: near: the base,.open, lov : Round the eyes bare of feathers. : At the bend, of the wing two or more horny knobs, or blunt spurs. Legs very long—toes ‘moderate, united at the base, and very rough beneath. SECRETARY.—Prare VIL. Vultur Serpentarius, Ind. Orn. i. p. 8. Cimel physic, t. 28. Nat. Misc. No. 857. Falco Serpentarius, Gm. Lin.i. p. 250. Miller, Ill. p. 28. A. B. %. Serpentarius, Snake-eater, Shaw’s Zool. vii. pt.i. 46. pl. 14. Grus capensis cauda cristata, Petiv. Gaz. t. 12. f. 12. Sagittarius, Phil Trans. |xi. p. 55. pl. 2. Vosm. monog. t. 8. Secretarius reptilivorus, Daud. Orn. ii. p. 30. pl. i. Messager, Tem. Man. ed. ii. p. xlviii. Slaangen vraater, Sparm. Voy.i. p. 194. Mangeur des Serpens,: Levaill. Ois. pl. 25. Secretaire, Messager, Buf. vii. p. 328. pl..17. ‘pl.-enl. 721. ‘Son. Moy! p. 87. pl. 50. Ibis, Gent. Mag. v. xxxix pl. in. p. 568. 4 Secretary Vulture, Gen. Syn. i. p. 29. pl. 2. -Jd. Sup. 'p. 4 THIS jis amost curious species, remarkable for the great length of its legs, which:at first sight might induce one to think it belonged to the Waders, but the characters of the Vulture are so strongly marked, as to create much doubt in what class it ought to be placed. When standing erect.the head is full three feet from the ground, ”~y P1. VIL. CAA vy. LO hb SA SECRETARY. 39 The bill is black, sharp. and crooked, as in the eagle, somewhat compressed towards the point; the gape very wide; cere white ; round the eyes bare and orange coloured; irides pale grey; the upper eyelids beset with strong bristles, like eyelashes; head, neck, breast, and upper parts of the body bluish ash colour ; bastard wing, quills, vent, and thighs black, the last speckled with white, in some plain—at the bend of the wing one or more roundish knobs; the five first quills longer than the rest; tail cuneiform, but the two middle feathers are double the length of the others, in colour much like that of the body. but darker; the ends of all the feathers, for above an inch, black, but the very tips are white; under parts of the body dusky white, but on the belly the white has a mixture of dusky ; legs very long, stouter than those of the heron, yellowish brown, and feathered below the jomt.* From the hind-head springs a kind of elongated tuft, composed of ten feathers, growing broader towards the ends, arising in pairs of different lengths, and of a dusky bluish colour. These are in general pendent on the hind part of the neck, but can be erected so as to form a beautiful crest, at the will of the bird. The female is paler m colour, and the feathers of the crest, as well as the two middle tail feathers, shorter than in the male, and in young birds the two middle feathers are little, if at all elongated. This most singular and elegant bird inhabits the internal parts. of the Cape of Good Hope, as well as other parts of Africa, and is also met with in the Philippine Islands; is called at the Cape Slangeater, Snake-eater, from its address in destroying those reptiles. Dr. Sparr- man mentions that at first it opposes one wing, and then the other, to, avoid the bite of the snake, as well as to bruise it; and ‘soon after spur- ning and treading upon it, frequently tossing it with its pinions into the air; after which the adversary being wearied out, the bird is en- abled to kill and eat it without damage. | It feeds also on rats and * M. Sonnerat says this bird is naked above the knee joint, which is uot the case. AO SECRETARY. lizards; sometimes small turtles, and even large beetles. Dr. Solan- der mentioned to me, that he has seen one of these take up a snake or tortoise in its claws, and dash it from thence against the ground, with such violence as sometimes at one attempt to kill it. And another peculiarity is, that the Secretary strikes or kicks forward with the Jeg, never backwards. It is nota shy bird, and on bemg roused, first tries to escape by hopping and running, which it does very swiftly, taking wing only when it is not otherwise able to get off. The male and female are for the most part seen together. They make a large nest on the tops of tall trees, and line it with wool and feathers, though sometimes:on shrubs, and trees of lower growth, laying two white eggs, marked with rufous spots, about the size of those of a goose; but longer. If taken young it is easily tamed, and will mix with the common poultry, feeding on rats, lizards, and even locusts, and other insects, rarely attacking chickens, except driven thereto from the utmest necessity. It will feed on flesh, whether raw or cooked, also fish and many other things, but by no means on any of the vegetable tribe. It certainly is a most useful bird, serving as the Ibis in Egypt to destroy great numbers of noxious creatures; is said to have been first introduced into England by Captain Purvis in one of the East India Company’s ships in the year 1769*. From the different synonyms recorded above, it appears that authors have been much at a Joss where to place this bird, and although we have before ranked it with the Vulture, it seems rather to hold a a place between that and the Falcon genus, Dr. Shaw, as also Mr. Illiger, and Temminck, are of opinion that it should form a separate genus of itself, and the two latter have given it the Latin name of Gypogeranust to this we can have no objection, well aware that it does not coincide exactly with either of the genera above-mentioned, * Edw. Glean. y. p. 24. + See Tem. Man. d’Orn. Ed. p, xlyiu, GENUS III. FALCON. * European. 1 Bald Eagle A Cinereous E B Lesser white-tailed E C Var. 2 Sea E 3 Bearded E 4 Imperial E 5 Russian E 6 Genoese E 7 Ring-tailed E A White-tailed E B Black E 8 Golden E A White E 9 Tiger E 10 Osprey E A Arundinaceous O B Carolina O C Cayenne O D Leverian O 11 White-crowned E 12 Courland E 13 Jean le blanc E 14 Rough-footed E 15 Spotted E 16 Dransberg E 17 Rough-legged Falcon 18 Booted F A Var. 19 Sclavonian F 20 Jerfalcon A Iceland J 21 Collared F 22 Brown F 23 Spotted F VOL. I. FALCON, 24 Honey Buzzard A Dubious F 25 Long-tailed F 26 Margined F 27 Common Buzzard A Ash-coloured B B Feather-legged B C White B 28 Peregrine F A Tartarian F B Barbary F 29 Lanner A White L B Abyssinian L 30 Starry F 31 Moor B A Rusty F B Var. 32 Harpy F 33 Grey F 34 Northern F A Winter F 35 Ash-coloured F 36 Hen-Harrier F A Var. B White C Hudson’s Bay D Cayenne 37 Kite A Chestnut-headed K B Russian K C Violaceous K 38 Black K A Austrian K 39 Parasite F 40 Arabian K G 41 41 Goshawk 42 Greater Buzzard 43 Gentil F 44 Common F A Yearling F B Haggard F C White-headed F D White F E Red F F Red Indian F G Italian F 45 Sacre F A American S 46 Mountain F A Ash-coloured MF 47 Hobby A Dourelah H 48 Greater H 49 Ingrian F 50 Permian F 51 Orange-legged H 52 Kestril A Lark Hawk B Grey K C Var: 53 Lesser Kestril 54 Severe 55 Bohemian F 56 Sparrow-Hawk A Spotted Sp. H B White Sp. H 57 Merlin A Caribbee M B Falconer’s M C Intermixed M 58 Stone F 42 59 Siberian F ** African & Asiatic. 60 Crowned Eagle 61 Occipital E 62 Vulturine E 63 Martial E 64 Noisy E 65 Noble E 66 Cheela E 67 Maritime E 68 Fierce E 69 Pondicherry E 70 Bido E 7) Brown-backed E A Frooss E Kumpa-Maur E Koorul E Jerwied E Cawnpore E Chinese E Bauj E Asiatic E Fishing E 80 Bengal Osprey 81 Piscivorous E 82 Blagre E 83 Marine E 84 New-Zealand E 85 Madagascar F 86 Oriental F 87 Javan F 88 Testaceous F A Javan F 89 Lake F 90 Cohy F 9] Crested Indian F A Var. 92 Ceylonese Crested F 93 Chicquera F 94 Nasal F 95 Japonese F 96 Short-tailed F 97 Bacha F PS OS ee SO OS ns nrnrawrvrwey a} 101 FALCON. 98 Long-legged F 99 Black-thighed F 100 Behree F Rhomboidal F 102 Chanting F 103 Rufous-eared F 104 Jackal F 105 Ranivorous F 106 Desert F 107 Tachard F 108 Black & Wh. Indian F A Pied F 109 Cotta F 110 Sonnini’s. F 11] Black-eyed K 112 Cheel F 113 Criard F A Black-winged F 114 Fasciated F 115 Zugeun F 116 Jugger F 117 Konta F 118 Muskooroo F 119 Sharp-tailed F 120 Sagittal F 121 Justin F 122 Brown and White F 123 Indian F 124 Johanna F Long-billed F 126 Buff-headed F Senegal F 128 Tawny-headed F 129 Libyan F 130 Red-nosed F Grey-winged Kestril 132 Rufous-backed K Sharp-tailed K 4 Calcutta Sparrow-Hawk Bassun F Bengal F 137 Soolo F | 138 Chipuck F 139 Brown’s H 140 Speckled Sparrow-Hawk 141 Red-legged F 142 Dwarf F 143 Minute F *** New-Holland, §c. 144 Mountain E 145 Lacteous E 146. New-Holland White E 147 Black-eyed E 148 White-headed Rufous E 149 New-Holland F 150 Ash-headed F 151 Port Jackson F A Var. 152 Winking F 153 Radiated F 154 New-Holland Spar. H 155 Dark Sparrow-Hawk 156 Leaden-backed H 157 Axillary F 158 Parametta F A Var. 159 Pale F 160 Pacific F 161 Lunated F 162 Yellow-chinned F 163 Bird H 164 Ash-tailed F 165 Cream-bellied F 166 Black-shouldered F 167 Ash-brown F 168 Dark F EXE Americans 169 Crested E 170 Crowned E 171 Royal E 172 Tyrant E 173 Destructive E 174 Brazilian E 175 Equinoctial E 176 Black-cheeked E 177 Black-backed E = 178 Janeiro E 179 Louisiana White E 180 Statenland E 181 White-breasted E 182 White-bellied E A Var. 183. Tharu E 184 White-rumped E. 185 Mansfeny E 186 Maculated E 187 Plumbeous F A Var. 188 Columbine E 189 Streaked F 190 Caracca E 191 White-necked E A Var. 192 Azara’s E 193 Black-necked F 194 Notched F 195 Rufous-headed F 196 Plain F 197 Crested Goshawk A Mauduit’s G B Guiana G FALCON. 198 Black H A Var. 199 Sooty F 200 Chocolate F 201 Red-throated F 202 Jamaica B 203 Mingled B 204 Speckled B 205 Broad-winged F 206 Brown & Tawny F 207 Yellow-toed F 208 American B 209 Buzzaret 210 White-breasted F 211 Barred-breasted B 212 Cayenne F 213 Long-shanked F 214 Marsh Hawk 215 American F 216 Rusty and Grey F 217 Swallow-tailed F 218 Brazilian K 219 Mississippi K 220 Salvador F ' 991 St. John’s F | 222 Newfoundland F 293 224 225 226 2927 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 Pigeon H Sharp-shinned H Slate-coloured F Brown-backed F Barred-tail F Blue-backed F Great-billed F American Brown H Rufous-bellied F Surinam F Laughing F White-fronted F Spotted-tailed H Hobby B Orange-breasted H Little F Abbotian F Berbice F Cayenne Sp. H Greater Cayenne Sp. H Guiana F Pied Sp. H Accipitrine F Tiny Pygmy F 43 THE bill in this Genus is hooked, and furnished with a waxy skin at the base, ealled the cere, im which the nostrils are placed. Tongue bifid at the end. Head and neck furnished with feathers. Legs and feet scaly for the most part, middle toe connected to the outmost, as far as the first joint, by a strong membrane. Claws large, much hooked, and very sharp, that of the outer toe the least. The female larger and stronger than the male. G2 44 FALCON. This genus of birds is so well known, that scarcely any person in possession of one can be at a loss where to place it. The only mistake likely to happen, is the confounding it with the first genus, for the reasons therein mentioned. ‘The chief characteristics of the Falcon, independent of a certain degree of nakedness about: the head and neck, seen in the Vulture, are the bill and claws, both of them being very hooked and sharp. The luxury of the Falcon, for the most part, is to kill its own prey, and to eat it while fresh ; -and both this and the Vulture often take in as much food as will last for many days. The food of birds of this genus is not always flesh; many of the Falcons will eat fish, -and some are content with snakes: and reptiles, as will be noticed hereafter. The circumstance of birds of the Falcon Genus, casting up at intervals, the mdigestible part of their food, such as bones, feathers, hair, woel, &c. has been mentioned by all writers on falconry; and falconers are so convinced of this discharge being salutary and necessary, that when they feed their Hawks with flesh, they intermix pellets of wool, or.cotton. ew birds vary more in the plumage according to age, which has been the occasion of more species being enumerated than really exist. It is observed, that every climate is furnished with them, not being confined, like the Vulture, to the warmer regions. It is not known that the Falcon tribe ever unites into companies, and, except in the breeding season, seldom two are seen together, at least there are not many mstances to the contrary. We have thought right to separate the species of this genus into divisions, according to the different countries they mhabit, at least as far as our knowledge of them has enabled us. We have likewise, for the most part, followed the names given by former describers, such as Eagle, Falcon, Hawk, Kite, Buzzard, &c. by this means disturbing, as little as possible, the arrangement of older authors. FALCON. 45 * EUROPEAN. 1.—BALD EAGLE. Falco leucocephalus, Ind. Orn.i. 11, Lin. i. 124. Gm. Lin. i. 255. Briss. i. 422. Id. Svo. i. 122. Gerin. 1. t. 8. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 78. Amer. Orn. iv. pl. 36. Id. ix. p. 129. Tem. Man. d@’Orn. p.11 Id, Ed. 2. p. 52. Falco pygargus, Daud. ii. 62. Fischadler, Beckst. Deuts. ii. 222. taf. ix. Naturf. 8.s. 46. Le Pygargue, Buf.i. 99. Pl. enl. 411. White headed Eagle, Arct. Zool. ii. No. 89. Bald Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. 29. Id. Sup. p.9.. Bartr. Trav, 286. THE length of this bird is more than three feet; breadth im proportion ; weight 9 pounds; bill and cere yellow; irides white; head, neck, and tail, white; the rest of the body dark brown; the upper half of the shins covered with feathers; the rest and the toes bare and yellow; claws black. Both sexes much alike. Inhabits North America, preying both on flesh and fish, but does not procure the latter for itself; for sitting in a convenient spot, it watches the diving of the Osprey into the water, and as soon the latter has secured a fish, the Bald Eagle follows close after, and the Osprey, through fear, drops his prey, which the Eagle will frequently seize before it reaches the ground; but in Georgia it sometimes frequents ponds, catching both ducks and geese, and fish, destroying also young lambs and pigs. The young are brown instead of white-headed, and, in this state, called the Grey Eagle. I learn from Mr. Hutchins, that it is called, at Hudson’s Bay, Wapaw-Estequan-Mickesue, that it comes m May, and builds on the highest trees, forming a nest of sticks and grass, tufts of grass. and other rubbish, of a large size; and has generally two young; often made in a very tall tree, such as a pine or cypress, continuing the same, season after season, for a long time; but we believe that many, if 46 FALCON. not the greater part of them, remain in Georgia throughout the year, building a large compact and flat nest in the cypress trees, some- times on the rocks; not uncommon on the deserted lakes of North America, especially about the falls of the Niagara and St. Antoine, and the young come to their colour by slow degrees; is a long lived species, and has been known to attain to 100 years. A.—Falco albicilla, Ind. Orn. 1. 9. Lin. 1. 123. Vultur. . Gm. Lin. i. 253. Fn. suec. No. 55. Brun. No. 12. -Muller. p58. Faun. groenl. p. 53. Kram. 326. Scop. ann. i. No.2. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 79. : Aquila albicilla, seu Pygargus, Bris. i.427. Id. Svo. 1.123. Klein. Av. p. 40. Will. p- 31. Jd. Engl. 61. Raii. p. 7. Aigle Pygargue, Daud. ii. 62. Vieil. Amer.i. p. 27. pl..3. Der Fischadler, Beckst. Deut. i. s. 222. Der Fischgeyer, Naturforsch. 2.s. 43, Cinereous Eagle, Gen. Syn. i. 33, Id. Sup. p.11. Br. Zool.i. No. 45 pl. 18. Id. ed, 1812. i. 209. pl. 18. Arct. Zool. ii. 214, B. Lewiu’s Birds i. pl. 4. Walcot i. pl. 1. Orn. Dict. & Supp. This bird is 2ft. 9in. or 3 feet in length; and 7 in extent. from wing to wing; bill pale yellow; the head and neck dusky white, inclining to ash colour; body and wings a full ash-colour, mixed with brown; tail white; forehead, between the eyes and the nostrils, sparingly covered, having very narrow feathers like hairs. Inhabits Scotland and the Orknies, for the most part; rarely met with in England; but is not uncommon im various parts of Europe, the Southem parts of Russia, particularly about the Welga, in Sweden and Denmark, alsoin Iceland. Im Greenland is found. the whole year, among the Islands and rocks, from which it darts on the several diving birds, as soon as they rise to the surface of the water, the place of which it is enabled to ascertam by the bubbles; now and then attempts to prey on a live seal, when having fixed the talons too fast to be disentangled, the seal draws the Eagle under the water, to its destruction; feéds on the lump-fish, anda sort of trout. . In a nest of one of these birds near Keswick, in Cumberland, was founda grey, or hulse-water trout, above 12 pounds im weight; Dr. Heysham, who FALCON. 47 informed me of the circumstance, added, that he obtained the bird alive, and had kept it above ten years, and that it was either six or seven before the tail became white. Colonel Montagu had one of these for nine years, when it died; but observes, that the tail feathers gradually became white, though the base remained dusky black for above one third of the length. This was a male, and weighed seven pounds six ounces. B.—Falco Hinnularius, Ind. Orn. i. 15. Charl. Onom. 63. 4. Shaw's Zool. vi. p. 80. Falco albicaudus, Gm. Lin. i. 258. Aquila albicilla minor, Bris.i. 429. Id. 8vo.i, 124. Aquila Pygargus Aldr. Will.31. Id. Eng. 62. Raii.Syn.p.7. Borowsk.ii. p.71. Petit Pygargue, Buf.i. p. 99? Erne. Gesner. Av. p. 205. Lesser White-tailed Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. 39. Length 2ft.2in.; bill, cere, and irides, yellow; plumage dull rust colour above, beneath chestnut, mixed with blackish; head and neck ash-colour, with a chestnut tinge; tips of the feathers blackish ; tail white; legs yellow; claws black. This is supposed to be the bird in its first feathers. In the next stage of growth, it measures in length nearly three feet, and becomes the Cimereous Eagle; it is by some authors called the Erne, but the mhabitants of the Orknies eall the Golden and Black Eagles, and the Osprey, as well as this, by that name. C.—Falco albicilla var. Ind. Orn. Sup. p. 3. Cinereous Eagle, var. Gen. Syn. i. 33. Jd. Sup. ii. p, 18. This is of a large 'size’; the bill large and black; general colour of the plumage deep brown, paler beneath; the wings much darker; rump aud tail very pale ash-colour, nearly white; legs black. Inhabits New Holland, and, from its make and shape, is probably a farther variety of the Cinereous Eagle. 4S FALCON, 2._SEA EAGLE. Falco ossifragus, Ind. Orn.i. p.12. Lin. Syst.i. 224. Gm. Lin.i. 255. Brun. No. 13. Muller. No. 60. Rait. Syn. p.7. Will. p. 29. t.1. It: Posseg. p. 27. Voy. en Barb. p- 263. Borowsk. ii. p. 69. Bris. i. 437. Id. Svo. 125. Klein. p. 41. Daud. ii. p- 64. Die See Adler, Beckst. Deuts. ii. s.219. Shaw's Zool. vii. pl. 18. Orfraie, Buf. i. 42. t.3. Pl, Enl. 112. 415. Cet. Ue. Sard. p. 28. Kolb. Cap. ii. 137? Voy. en Barb. i. 265. © Tem. Man. ed. 2. p.'49. Der Beinbrecher, Naturf. 8. 43. : Sea Eagle, Gen. Syn. i. p.30. ‘Id. Sup. p.9. Br. Zool.i. No. 44. pl. 17. Id. fol. 63. Id. Ed. 1812. i. p.205. pl.17. °Pitf. Mem: t..p. 182. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 86. A. Bewick.i. pl. p. 11. Lewin’s Birds i. pl.1. Walcot. i: pl. 2.- Pult. Dors. p. 2. Donov. pl. 105, Orn. Dict. § Sup. Amer. Orn. vii. po16. pl. 55. f. 2. THIS is 3ft. m length at least, and expands more than 7ft. The bill bluish horn colour; cere and. orbits yellow ; irides hazel ; beneath the chin hairs like bristles; plumage above ferruginous brown ; the margins of the feathers darker; belly paler, in some whitish with ferruginous spots; quills chocolate towards the base, white in the middle; tail deep brown, the outsides of some of the feathers ferruginous, of others blotched. with white ; legs feathered below the knees, and yellow, very strong, two inches in circum- ference; claws long, black, and very hooked... The female dull ferruginous. Inhabits Europe; has been met with in various parts of England, among others Newcastle, Yarmouth in Shropshise, Ep- ping, and New. Forest, also Warkworth in Northumberland ;* but not known to breed more southward than Newcastle st not uncom- mon in Scotland} and Ireland, where they keep for the most part * Bewick. — t Willoghby. ~ They quit Scotland in winter, Tour in Scotl. ii. p.24. Mr. Pennant says, they were s0 numerous a few years since in Rannock, that 5s. were given for every one destroyed, and FALCON. 49 near the lakes, for the convenience of catching fish, their principal food, dartmg upon them in the water, m the manner of the Osprey ; said also to pursue that bird, after it has obtained a fish, and to oblige him to quit his prey, as is done by the Bald Eagle. The Sea-Eagle probably feeds sometimes on other birds, as the remains have been found inthe nest. The place of breeding is in the more northern parts; in the colder months approaching southward, at which time only we have heard of their being in the warmer counties. In the year 1795, one was shet in Berkshire, and another in Mareh, 1810, in Lincolnshire, on the estate of Sir Jos. Banks; in the collection ef Mr. Bullock. It is common in many parts of Germany, where the flesh of the young bird is thought not unsavoury; well known also in Russia and Siberia; frequent in Kamtsehatka; found in summer, even on the Aretic coast, and no jess common abeut the Caspian Sea, and is the same as that‘mentioned by Kolben ; extends also to the Cape of Good Hope. He says this bird feeds on tortoises, carrying them up into the air, and lettmg them fall on a rock to break their shells; hence it has-obtained the name ef Bone-breaker. In North America the size is superior, very common even as high as Newfoundland, where it preys on land and sea fowls, also young seals, which it seizes floatmg on the water. Tt is the opinien of some who have written en the subject, that this bird is no ether than the Bald Eagle, mm imperfect plumage, and it has been observed, that it is six or seven years before it is in complete feather ; to this the author ef the American Zeology assents, and brings mere than one proef ef the cireumstance. such numbers were brought in, that the -price-was reduced to 3s. 6d. In the Orkney Islands was a custom, if not now prevalent, that whoever shoots an eagle may lay claim to a hen out of every house in the parish where the bird was killed. VOL, I. H 50 FALCON. 3.—BEARDED EAGLE. African bearded Eagle, Salt’s Trav. p. xh. Nisser werk, Bruce’s Trav. app. t. p. 155. THIS is a large species, having an extent of wing more than Sit. The bill dirty brown, with tufts of black hair covering the nostrils, and others of the same on each side of the lower mandible; and a still larger one, forming a beard underneath; irides sandy yellow; the outer film, or nictitating membrane, deep bright scarlet; tongue hard, bifid, and fitting exactly in the under mandible. The space round the eye, and in front of it, as well as an angle behind, deep black, giving a bright lustre to the eye. The head covered entirely with small dirty white feathers, which; as well as those of the neck, breast, and belly, are tinged with rusty brown. Feathers on the back, tail; and wings, fine deep glossy brown, with white ribs; those on the back of the neck standing erect, somewhat like a ruff; tail wedged-shaped, consisting of ten feathers, those of the wing twenty-six. The whole of the body covered with yellow down. Found in Abyssinia, and supposed by Mr. Salt, to be the same with the one mentioned. by Mr. Bruce, by the name of Nisser;werk, met with by him not far from Gondar. Mr. S. gives it as his opimion, that, notwithstanding the straitness of the bill, usual im the Vulturme race,* the appearance, in the natural state, together with the vigour and animation which it displays, brings it nearer to the eagles,.and therefore gives it the name above-mentioned. He observes, that the head of one which he shot differed somewhat from the drawing given by Mr. Brace. This last gentleman represents it as a bold species, as it took away the provisions, which he and his friends were regaling themselves with, before his face, and adds, that a dust, corresponding * Mr. Bruce’s bird was 4ft. 7in. long, and weighed twenty-two pounds. FALCON, ol with the colour of the feathers, above and beneath, flew out, on hand- ling, in Jarge quantities; but it is not peculiar to this species, as we have observed the same in the King Vulture, and some others, as also in the white Cockatoo. Another, rather smaller, was shot at the same time. Head and neck blacker; the under part of the body dusky; small feathers of the wings lighter; and the talons somewhat longer., This was supposed te be the male. Mr. S. observes, that the drawing of the Bearded Vulture, as given by Mr. Edwards, conveys no idea of this bird. Mr. Temminck enters it as one of his synonyms of the Bearded Vulture. 4.—IMPERIAL EAGLE. Falco imperialis, Aigle imperial, Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.9. Id. Ed. 2. p. 37. Aquila chrysaétos, Zeisler, Annal. der Wetteraa. V.ii. t. p. 170. Aquila heliaca, Savign. Syst. des Ois..d’? Egypte, Livi. p- 22. pl, 12, LENGTH ‘three feet; cere’ yellow; gape very wide, opening beyond the back part of the eyes; nostrils oblique, 3 in. long, by } in. in breadth ; irides pale yellow ; the head and nape are bright rufous ; upper part of the body im general deep glossy brown, but the ends of the feathers incline to rufous; beneath the body deep brown, but the belly is yellowish rufous; tail cinereous grey, crossed near the end with a bar of black, the tips of the feathers yellowish grey ; it is nearly even at the end, and the wings equal it in length. The legs are covered with down quite to the toes, which are yellow. Inhabits Egypt and Abyssinia, where it probably breeds, but is now and then met with in the mountains of Tyrol and Silesia. H2 52 FALCON. 5.—RUSSIAN EAGLE. Falco Mogilnick, Ind. Orn.i. p. 17. Gm. Linvi. 259. Daudi. 56, Shaw's Zool. vii. p- 87. Tem. Man. p.14. Id. Ed. 2. p. 37. Aquila Mogilnick, WN. C. Petr. xv. p.445. t. FI. b. Russian Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. p. 43 LENGTH 2ft. 3in.; bill black ; cere yellow; eyelids blue; irides livid; head, neck, and back dull ferruginous brown, here and there mixed with a little white, beneath much the same, but plain; some of the quills have the ends black, others rufous; within spotted with grey, greater coverts brown, with ferruginous tips; lesser coverts half brown, half rufous; tail feathers black, bounded with grey, and tipped with rufous; the wings, when closed, reach nearly to the end of the tail; legs feathered to the claws, as in owls, colour luteous, claws black. Inhabits Russia, seen often im company with the Russian kite, near the city of Tschercask ; feeds on mice and other small quadrupeds; builds on high trees, and lays two eggs, marked with reddish blotches.. This is probably allied to, if not the same with the Im- penal Eagle. FALCON, 03 6.—GENOESE EAGLE. LENGTH 2ft. 6in.; bill stout, horn colour, cere yellow, almost covered with hairs; plumage above, from the forehead to the tail, uniform brown; greater quills very dark, almost black, with pale shafts, and white on part of the inner webs; under parts of the body generally white, with broad streaks of pale brown from the chin to the breast, but from thence to the vent crossed with transverse bars of the same on each feather; thighs the same; vent plain white; under wing coverts mixed brown and white; tail 103in. even at the end, above brown, crossed with about four bars of more obscure brown; the inner webs approaching to white; the thigh feathers reach below the jomt; legs very stout, yellow brown, claws black; the quills, when the wings are closed, reach to within 13in. of the end of the tail. Inhabits Genoa and parts adjacent. In the collection of Mr. Bullock. 7.—RING-TAILED EAGLE. Falco fulvus, Ind. Orn. i. p.10.. Lin. i. 125... Gm. Lin. i. 256. Georg. Reise. 164. Decouv. russ. i. 89.—ii. 142.—iii. 303. Shaw's Zool. vii. 71. Aquila, Bris.i. 419. Id. 8vo.121. Klein. Av. 41. Chrysaétos cauda annulo albo cincta, Raii.6. Will.28. Id. Eng.59. Gerin.i. t. 1. Falco regalis, Aigle royal, Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.10. Jd. Ed. 2. p- 39. Aigle commun, Buf. i. 86. Pl. Enl. 409. young bird. Voy. en Barb. i. 264. Daud. ii. 47. Die gemeine Adler, Beckst. Deutsch. ii. 212. Black Eagle, Br. Zool.i. No. 43. Jd. Ed. 1812. i. p. 202. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 87. Ring-tailed Eagle, Gen. Syn. i. 32. Id. Sup. 10. Br. Zool. fol. p. 62.. Lewin. Br. Birds, i, pl.3. Walcot. Syn.i. pl. 4. | Bewick.i. pl. p.7. Pult. Cat. Dors. p.2. Orn. Dict. & Sup. Amer. Orn. vii. p. 13. pl. 55. f. 1. THE length of this bird is 2} feet, sometimes more, breadth six feet at least. The bill is dusky; cere yellow; irides hazel; 04 FALCON. plumage in general brown; head and neck pale fulvous; tail white for two thirds of the length, the rest dusky black; legs feathered to the toes, which are yellow; claws black. A.—Falco canadensis, Lin. Syst. Ed. 10. p. 88. Gm. Lin.i. 256. 6. Falco fulvus, Lin. Ed. 12. 125. 6. 6. Aquila cauda alba Americana, Gerin.i. 40. t. 7. White-tailed Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. 32. 6A. Edw. pl.i.* Bewick.i. pl. p. 9. This differs in having the tail white, except the end, which is black brown; the breast marked with triangular spots; forehead between the eyes naked. B.—Falco melaneetus, Ind. Orn.i. 10. Lin. i. 124. Gm. Lin. i. 254. Rati.7. Wiil. Orn. p.3. t.2. Klein. Av. 41. Jd. Ov.t.5. f.1. Bris.i. 434. Id. 8vo.i. 125. Phil. Trans. \vii. 346. Gerin.i. t.3. Borowsk.ii. 68. Shaw’s Zool. vn. 74. Aigle noir, Buf. i. 86. Schwartz-braune Adler, Frisch. t. 69, . Naturf. 8. s..43. Black Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. 28. Id. Sup. 8 Will. Eng. 62. pl.2. Albin. ii. pl. 2. Arce. Zool. ii. 87. The Black Eagle is 2ft.10in. long; cere reddish; plumage in general much darker than in others, nearly black; head and neck mixed with rufous; base half of the tail white, spotted -with black ; the end half blackish; legs feathery, dirty white. This bird, and «its varieties, inhabits more or less the three quarters of the globe; being found in'many parts of Europe, America, and the North part of Asia. In Germany it is too common, and very destructive. Beckstein says, that nan ayry of one of them were found the skeletons of three hundred ducks,\ and. forty hares, and that the rapine they commit in the uncultivated parts can never be computed ; one of these birds has been known to attack two children of a year me Thought by M.'Vieillot to be’a young bird of the Bald Eagle.—See Ami p.2%, FALCON. aD old, belonging to a peasant. They are mostly very shy, hence the great rewards offered for the destruction of them, in a great measure fail of the desired effect. Is very rare in the south of Great Britain, but has been met with in Derbyshire. The nest is described as bemg made with Jarge sticks, lined with two layers of rushes, with heath between, and that the young one found therein was black, but had the white rmg on the tail conspicuous, even at that period of age. The egg is rust coloured, with irregular marks of a deeper colour ; said to build on the highest part of Cheviot Hills, in Northumberland, and in 1735, one was shot at Warkworth, measuring in extent of wing, eleven feet and a quarter. 8.—GOLDEN EAGLE. Falco Chrysaétos, Ind. Orn.i. p.12.. Lin.i. 125. Fn. Suec. No. 54. Gm. Lin.i. 256. Bris.i.. 431, Id, 8vo. 124. Klein. Av. 40. Ratt. Syn. p.6. Will. 27. t.1, Scop. Ann.i. No.1. Muller. No.59. Kram, el.325. Faun. arag. 67. Borowsk. Nat. il. 6. t.2. Gerin. Orn.i: t.2. Daud. Orn... p. 46. Shaw’s Zool. vii. p.75. pl. 17. Id. Zool. Lect. t.52. Le grand Aigle, Bufii.. p.76... Pl. enl, 410, Gold Adler, Wirs, Vog. t.45..) Beckst: Deutsch.ii. s.205. Naturf. viii, s. 44. Golden Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. 31. Id. Sup.10. Br. Zool.i. No. 42. pl.16, Id. fol, pl. 4, Id. ed. 1812. i, p. 97. frontisp. Pitf. Mem. t.p.182. Arct. Zool-ii. 214. A. Albin. ii. pl.l. Cheseld. Anat. scelet. Bewick.i. p.5. Lewin.i. pl.2. Walcot.i, pl.3. Orn Dict. & Sup. Wood's Zoogr.i. p.380. pli 16. THE length of this bird is more than 3ft.; breadth 8ft.; weight 12 pounds; the bill deep blue, cere yellow: irides hazel ; head and neck deep brown; the feathers bordered with tawny; hind-head_ bright rust colour; body dark brown; quills chocolate, with white shafts; tail deep brown, blotched with obscure ash; the wings when closed 55 FALCON. reach three-fourths thereon, legs yellow, feathered to the toes, which are scaly; claws very large. This is rarely seen in England*, but in Scotland and Ireland not uncommon, where it breeds in the cliffs, and lays three or four white eges, but rarely hatches more than two; now and then breeds on Snowdon Hills, in Wales; it appears in the middle of Germany, in winter, on the highest South and North Alps, and is taken without difficulty, by baiting a trap with raw flesh—it not only preys on hares, wood-hens, and partridges, but will also attack fallow deer, sheep, geese, and other poultry.t Not uncommon in Russia; it abounds at Orenburg, and is there exposed to sale, bemg used for falconry, to take wolves, foxes, and antelopes, and good birds sell dear; used by the Kergisians, and often a horse given for one, when a sheep will purchase another species;{ extends to India.§ Thought by M. Temminck to be the same as the Ring-tail Eagle, differmg im age or sex. A.—Falco cygneus, Ind. Orn.i.:14. Daud.ii. 47, A. Shaw. vii. p.76. Gm. Lin. i. 257. 47. Bris.i. 424. “Id. 8vo. 122, Klein. Av.42. Spalowsk. Vog.i. t.1. White Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. 36. Charl. Onom. 63. 9. This is wholly white, and inhabits the banks of the Rhine, and the Alps, in ‘Germany—is probably only a white variety of the Golden Eagle. * One shot at Yarmouth, Feb. 1783, measured from tip of.one wing to the other, 12 feet ; another killed at Bexhill, in Sussex, fifteen or sixteen years since. Lin. Trans. iy. p.1. + Beckst. Muster. p. 57. + Decouv. russ. 3. 127. § Sir J, Anstruther’s Drawings. FALCON, 57 9.—TIGER EAGLE. Faico tigrinus, Ind. Orn. Sup.ii. p.19. Besek. Vog. 3.10, 11. 1. taf. 2. Allg. u. de Vog..1. s. 676. Shaw’s Zool. vii. p. 100. Tiger Falcon, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii, p. 19, SIZE of the Golden Eagle, if not bigger; cere blue; irides and legs yellow; head, neck, and breast pale brown, but the upper parts of both are black—the crown appearing in fine streaks, the rest of the upper parts dull brown; quills black; greater wing coverts black- brown, paler; tail dull brown, crossed with three narrow, distinct bands; beneath from the breast white, marked with some light brown spots on the thighs, and under parts of the wings, in the manner of a tiger. ‘This was a male, and not unlike one figured by Frisch, t. 76. Inhabits Courland, about which it breeds, and is a species equally fierce, agile, and beautiful. It approaches farm-houses, and is a dreadful enemy to the grouse tribe and hares, on which it feeds, VOL. ft. I 508 FALCON. 10.—OSPREY. Falco Halivzetus, Ind. Orn.i. p.17. Lin. Syst.i. 129, Faun. suec. No. 63. Gm. Lin. i. 263. Bris. i. 440. t.34. Id. Svo. 126. Brun. p.5. Mull. No.66. Kolb. Cap. ii. p.137. Georgi. p.164. Borowsk. Nat,ii. p.71. 6. Beckst. Deut.ii. s. 250. Daud. ii. p.67. Shaw’s Zool. vii. p.82. Gesner. Av. p.196. 804. Tem. Man. d@’Orn. p.16. Id. ed. ii. p. 48. Morphnos, seu Clanga, Rati. Syn. p.7- Will. p.32. Id. Engl. 63.. Balbusardus, Raii. Syn. p.16. Will. p.37. Id. Engl. 69, t.6. .. Gerin. Orn.i. t. 40. Buf.i. p. 103. t.2. Pl. Enl. 414. Falco cyanops, Klein. Stem. p.8. t. 8. f.1. a. b. ce Aigle de Mer, Voy. en Barb. i, 265. Fischaar, Wirsing. Vog.t.47. Naturf. viii. s.53. Beckst. Gem. Naturg. p. 230. Osprey, Gen. Syn.i. p.45. Id. Sup. p.13. Br. Zool.i. No.46. Id. fol.t. A. 1. Id. ed. 1812. i. p.204. Faun. Scot.i. p.17. pl.1. Arct. Zool. ii. No.91. Bewick.i. pl.p. 13. Lewin. Br. Birds.i. t.5. Id.t.1. £.2. egg. Wale. Syn.i. pl.5. Pult, Cat. Dorset. p.2. White Selb. p.97. Don. Br. Birds. ii. t.70. Orn. Dict, & Sup. THE Osprey is nearly 2ft. in length; and the weight between four and five pounds; bill black; cere blue; irides yellow; head feathers chiefly brown, with white margins; hindhead, throat, and neck, white, with a little mixture of brown on each side of the latter; under the eye begins a band of brown, reaching almost to the shoulders; the body brown above, white beneath; tail feathers barred with white on the inner webs, except the two middle ones, which are plain brown; legs naked, short, and strong, of a bluish ash colour; claws remarkably long, hooked, and black. Kolben mentions that the left foot is subpalmated.* This assertion has certamly no * 1t does not appear that there is either bird or quadruped, in which each side of the body does not correspond in a natural state, though the contrary is sometimes seen in insects. In the common lobster and several of the crab genus, the claws differ much; in none more so than in the Carolina Sand crab (Cancer vocans Lin.), one of the claws of which is so mon- strously large, as to oblige the animal to support it on the back when in motion, while the other is very small, scarcely larger than one of the legs. In respect to winged insects, even the FALCON. 59 foundation; but Col. Montagu observes, the outer toe in both feet turns easily backwards, and the claw belonging to it is larger than that of the inner toe. This is an European species, and though met with in England, is not very common—known to some by the name of Fishng Hawk or Eagle, and Bald Buzzard. It mostly frequents lakes, and large pieces of fresh water, for the sake of the fish, on which it feeds ; plunging into the water after them with rapidity, on their approach- ing the surface, and rarely fails to bring up its prey in the talons. It will also attack ducks—is said to make its nest on the ground,* sheltered among the reeds and rushes, and to lay three or four white eggs, elliptical, smaller than those of an hen. I cannot learn that it breeds in the south of England; some have said that it does so in Northumberland, but Dr. Heysham, who resides at Carlisle, has never heard of its being in that part of the country. We are however certain, that it breeds both in Scotland and Ireland. I have known it shot near Dartford, in Kent, and Dr. Lamb informs me of one bemg killed near Newbury, in Berkshire. Whether it was ever tamed, so as to be used for taking fish, is not directly said, but some species of hawk certainly was trained for that purpose—as we find an act in the marks of the wings exactly correspond on each side. Indeed, a singular circumstance occurs in one of the Cock Reach genus,* which is, we believe, the enly one known. In this species one of the wing cases is marked with four white spots, and the other with three only, and which is constant in every specimen yet observed. As to Lusus Nature, they are far from uncommon; such as a duck without webs to the toes: a common snail with the spiral turns of the shell reversed, one of which was found in my garden at Dartford, in Kent, several years since; also a flounder having the eyes and lateral line on the left instead of the right side.t These, and many ethers which might be mentioned, must be reckoned as singularities, happening now and then, but by no means to be esteemed as permanent distinctions of species. * Blatta heteroclita, Pall. Spic. No.9. t.1. f.3. Petiv. Mus. pl.7\, f..1. + Br. Zool, iii, 229, Id. Ed. 1812, iii. p. 306. * Colonel Montagu saw the nest of one on the top of a chimney of a ruin, inan island on Loch Lomond.—Orn. Dict. 12 60 FALCON. reign of William and Mary, prohibiting, for a certain period of the year, from taking any salmon peal, or salmon kind, by hawk, racks, gins, &c. A.—Falco arundinaceus, Ind. Orn. i. p.18. 8. Gmel. Lin. i. 268. S. G. Gmel. It. iii 163. Daud. Orn. ii. p. 69. This variety is said to have an ash-coloured cere ; the body grey above, and whitish beneath ; an even tail, and pale legs. Inhabits Siberia, and makes the nest among the reeds. The Osprey is found in regions far distant from each other, being frequent in Kamtschatka, and parts still more northward; migrates in winter towards the south*;.is met with also at the Cape of Good Hopet; said to frequent the rock of Gibraltart at all times, and to breed there, continually flying round the rock, where there is deep water, rarely coming to land, except m the breeding season. B.—Falco carolinensis, Ind. Orn. i.'p 18.y. Gm. Lin. i. p. 263. Daud. Orn. ii. p.69. B. Falco piscator, Bris. i. 361, 362. Id. Svo. 105. Raitt Syn. p. 19. Klein. Av. p. 52. Buf. i. 142. L’Aicle pecheur, Vietllot amer. i. p. 29. pl. 4. Fishing Hawk, Cates. Car.i. pl.2. Amer. Orn. v. p. 13. pl. 37. f. 1. Carolina Osprey, Gen. Syn. i. 46. A. Arct. Zool. ii. No.9. Bart. Trav. 286. This bird is somewhat smaller than the European species, being only 22im. in length ; the extent of wings, 5ft. 3in.; the bill black; cere blue; irides yellow; plumage above brown, forehead and crown, sides round the eye, and all beneath white, with a yellowish tinge ; forehead marked with a few streaks of black; through the eye in some specimens, and in others beginning behind it, a brown * Found about Baikal—common at Astrachan.—Dec. russ. 2, 142. + Kolben. + Rev. J. White’s MS. Notes. FALCON. 61 streak, at first narrow, growing broader by degrees, and passing behind the neck to the back ; tail rather paler than the upper part, crossed with eight darker brown bars; inner webs of the feathers more or less white, but marked in the same manner with brown; legs very stout, rough, light blue, and feathered rather below the joint; claws very long, stout, and hooked. The female differs in being larger, with a greater mixture of brown on the forehead, and a few dashes of brown on the breast. In both the feathers of the hindhead are elongated, and may be erected into a sort of crest. This is common in various parts of North America, and is the unwilling provider of fish for the Bald Eagle, which is ever on the watch to serve its ends, for as soon as'the Osprey obtains a fish by diving, the Bald Eagle flies after, and robs it of its prey*. It may be called a bird of passage, as it is found in the northern parts in the summer only, and the first appearance of it is welcomed, being the signal of the approach of various kind. of fish to the coasts, on which its food depends. The nest is made generally on single trees, chiefly such as are dead, or in a decaying state, though sometimes on lnigh recks. It is composed of large sticks, not unfrequently four or five feet in depth and two or three broad, mixed with dry stalks, sea weed, green grass, and similar materials, and lined with dry sea grass... The eggs are three or four in number, whitish, generally marked with dull brown. The young appear about the end of June, and are said to remain a long time in the nest betore they attempt to fly. It is very numerous m America, from Canada te Georgia. Mr: Wilson says, he has counted more than twenty nests within half a mile, and that on one small island there were at least ‘« 300 nests of Fishing Hawks that have young, and which, on an average consume, probably, * This is also mentioned in, respect to the Black Eagle, See Phil. Trans. y. 17. p. 989.—/ Clayton.) 62 FALCON, not less than 600 fish daily.” It generally fishes on the wing, darting after its prey into the water; but Mr. Abbot has observed one sitting fora long time on the top of a dead tree, close to the water, from which it darted on the fish. C—Falco cayanensis, Ind. Orn. i. 18. Gm. Lin. i, 263, Daud, ii, 69, C. Cayenne Osprey, Gen. Syn, i. 47. B, This variety differs chiefly in having the plumage inclining to ferruginous, and a white streak on each side of the upper mandible, leading through the eye to the hindhead. The length of this bird is 26 inches, breadth 5ft.2in. ; legs yellowish. Inhabits Cayenne ; in the collection of Miss Blomefield. D—Falco Levenanus, Ind. Orn. i, p. 18. Gm. Lin. i. 266. Daud. ii, 126. Shaw's Zool. vii. p. 151. Leverian Falcon, Gen, Syn, Sup. p. 31, Aret Zool. ii, 101. This is rather smaller than the common Osprey. — Bill dusky blue, stout, and hooked ; head, neck, and under parts white; crown of the head mixed brown and white; body above brown; the feathers margined and tipped with white ; on each side of the head a dusky mark, asin the Osprey; tail barred brown and white, except the two middle feathers, which are brown and. black, the shafts white ; legs yellow. This is said to inhabit Carolina, was met with in the Leverian Collection, and is probably a further variety. The Osprey is also said to be not uncommon in Brazil. FALCON, 63 11.—WHITE-CROWNED EAGLE. Falco leucoryphos, Ind. Orn. i, p: 17. Gm, Lin; i. 259. . Pallas reise, i. 454, Daud, ii p- 71: Shaw's Zool. vii. p. 90. White crowned Eagle, Gen. Syn. i. 42. Id. Sup. p. 13. THIS is in habit and size like the Osprey, but the limbs are longer; the expanse of wings 6ft.; weight nearly six pounds; bill strait at the base ; cere livid ash colour; irides grey brown; head grey brown, with a triangular spot of white on the crown; throat white ; sides of the head darker than the rest, as in the Osprey ; plumage above the body clouded brown; beneath the same, but paler; quills very dark ; tail longish, even at the end, where it is black; beneath it white, and some of the side feathers dotted within with white ; legs pale, one third of the shins feathered ; claws large, black. : Inhabits the more southern parts of the Jaick ; has been ob- served only towards the Caspian ; where it keeps near the rivers, and breeds upon high trees. It is probably a further variety of the Osprey. 12.—COURLAND EAGLE. Faleo germanicus, Ind. Orn. Sup. p. iii. Shaw's Zools vii. 10. Der Rothlichweisse Falke, All, U. d.- Voy. i. Zusass. s. 676, 120, Besek. Vog. Kurl, s. 10. 12. a. § 13. b. Courland Falcon, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 19. THIS is somewhat smaller than the Tiger Eagle; cere, irides, and legs yellow; general colour of the plumage reddish, smutty 64 FALCON. white, but the back, wings, and tail, are dull brown, and the ends of the wings paler; the head, neck, and breast marked with longish, dull brown. spots; the. feathers, which hang over the thighs, appear to be rusty brown, for the ends of each having an oval spot of that colour, and being confusedly mixed together, give that appearance ;' the tail crossed with four paler bands. This is the female. The male agrees nearly in colouring, but is one- fourth smaller in size. Inhabits Courland, 13.—JEAN LE BLANC EAGLE, Falco gallicus. Ind. Orn.i. p. 15. Gm. Lin.i. 259. Daud.ii. 158 Shaw's Zool. vii. 89. pl. 19. Falco hypoleucos, Decouv. russ. iid. 303. Falco brachydactylus, Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.15. Id. ed. 2. p. 46. Aquila Pygargus, Bris.i. 443. Id. 8vo. i. 127. Johnst. dv, t.2. Belon. t. p. 104 Borowsk. ii. 71. Falco leucopsis, Beckst. Deutsch. ed.2. y.2. p.572. La Buse des champs a Ailes longues, Voy. d’ Azara. ii. No. 31? Albanella, Cett. Uc. Sard. 31. Jean le blanc, Gen. Syn.i. p.39. Id. Sup.p. 12. Buf.i. pl. 4. Pl. enl. 418. NEARLY the size of the Black Eagle; length 25in.; bill cinereous ; irides yellow; plumage grey brown above, white be- neath, spotted with rufous brown; outsides and tips of the tail feathers brown, inner webs white, barred with brown; legs yellowish ; claws cinerous. This species seems to be more common in France than elsewhere ; said to live chiefly on mice, rats, frogs, &c. FALCON, 65 The female is almost wholly grey, having no white, except on the rump, and that of a dirty colour, It makes the nest, for the most part, on the ground, among heath, furze, &c. but now and then upon pine and other gh trees, and generally lays three slate-coloured eggs. Said to be frequent in the southern parts of Russia, especially about the rivers Don and Wolga, though not in Siberia. This species is used in falconry by the Calmucs,* 14.—ROUGH FOOTED EAGLE. Falco nevius, Ind. Orn.i. 14. Gm. Lin.i. 258. Bris.i. 425. Id. 8yo, 122, Daud. i. 52. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 84. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.14. Id. Ed. 2. p. 42. Stein adler, Frisch.t. 71. Beckst. Deuts. ii. s. 226. Natnrf. vi. s, 44. 6. Le petit Aigle, Buf.i. 91. Rough-footed Eagle, Gen. Syn. i. 37. Charl. onom. p. 63. SIZE of a large cock; length 2ft. 7zin.; cere and irides yellow ; general colour of the plumage dull ferruginous; beneath the wings and the thighs spotted with white; under tail coverts white; legs covered to the toes with dull ferrugimous feathers, spotted with white ; claws yellow. Inhabits Europe; said to live chiefly on rats—supposed to build in Hungary—but the nest and eggs are not mentioned. * Decouv. russ. 3. 807. M. d’ Azara compares the one referred to above, as found in Para- guay; but M. Sonnini, in a note below, thinks it different, as the wings are much longer in proportion. VOL. I. K 66 FALCON. 15.—SPOTTED EAGLE. Falco maculatus, Ind. Orn. i. p. 15. Gm. Lin. i. 250. Daud. ii. 52. Shaw's Zool. vii. p: 70. Tem. Man. ed.2. p. 43. Morphno congener, Raii Syn. p.7. Will. p.32. Id. Engl. 63. Gerin. Orn.i. t. iv. Kleiner Fisch Adler, Naturf. viii. s. 54. Aquila Clanga, Klein. Av. p.4l. Spotted Eagle, Gen. Syn.i. p.38. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 215. C. THIS is two feet long—bill black ; cere yellow ; plumage above deep rusty brown; head and neck feathers narrow, as in the kite, part of the shafts, and the ends pale; wings marked with oval, white spots, which are larger as they are placed more downwards, and on the greater coverts they occupy almost the whole of the end ; the back spotted with pale buff colour; quills deep brown—secondaries the same, tipped with dirty white: those nearest the body have the ends white for near an inch; upper tail coverts white; tail deep brown, tipped with dirty white ; belly, vent, and thighs brown, streaked with white; legs feathered to the toes, and yellow. This is found every where in Russia and Siberia, and even in Kamtschatka, and is the most unwarlike of any of the kind; hasa plaintive cry, hence called Planga and Clanga. Preys chiefly on ducks, and lesser animals—is fearful to a degree of its lesser con- genera, as, according to Chardin, even the comparatively minute sparrow-hawk will put it to flight. This is by some supposed to differ in sex from the Rough-footed Eagle. Temminck observes, that it is common in Africa, and particularly in Egypt. FALCON, 67 16.—DRANSBERG EAGLE. Falco glaucopis, Ind. Orn. i. 16. Gm, Lin. i. 255. Merrem. Ic. Av. ii. 2%. t.7. Daud. ii. 59. Dransberg Eagle, Shaw's Zool. vii, 102. LENGTH 214in.; bill glaucous; cere yellow; irides yellowish ; head and neck white, streaked with brown; on the forehead some brown crescents; breast and back brown; quills black; tail rafous- brown above, dirty white beneath ; on each feather six black bands ; thighs short; legs woolly before; toes yellow; claws black. Inhabits the mountain Dransberg, near Gottingen. 17.—ROUGH-LEGGED FALCON. Falco lagopus, Ind. Orn. i. 19. Gm. Lin. i. 260. Brun.p.4. Leems. Lap. p. 236? Beckst. Deuts. ii. 228. Frisch. t.75. Daud. ii. 107. Shaw's Zool. vii. 105. Amer. Orn. iy. pl. 34. f. 1. Graa-falk, Act. nidr.iv. p. 417. t. 13. Rough-legged Falcon, Gen. Syn.i. 75. Id. Sup. p.18. Br. Zool. App. pl.l. Id. Ed. 1812.1. p.228. pl. 26. goose, heron, or crane, and will take a duck out of the water when only the bill appears. The Tartars also fly them at antelopes and hares. Some of the Falcons are as white as a dove. 21.—COLLARED FALCON. Falco rusticolus, Ind. Orn. i. 28. Lin. 125. Faun. suec. No. 56. Gm. Lin.i. 268. Fn. groenl. No. 34. Beckst, Deut. ii. app. s.839. Daud. ii. 103. Collared Falcon, Gen. Syn.i. 56. Id. Sup. 15. Arct. Zool.ii. p. 226. G. SIZE of a hen; bill lead colour; cere and eyelids Juteous ; plumage above ash-coloured, undulated with white; beneath white, * Capt. Sabine mentions a single instance of its being found in Greenland.—Lin. Trans. 12, p. 528. + Also at Vienna, as the following letter will testify.—Copenhagen, Dec. 17, 1791.— «« The vessel on board of which were the Falcons from Iceland, annually sent to the Court of Vienna, was shipwrecked near Castrop.’”"—St. James’s Chron. Jan. 10, 1792. + Bell’s Trav. 1, p. 18, VOL. I. L 74 FALCON. with cordated small brown spots; round the neck a white collar ; tail crossed with twelve or thirteen alternate white and brown bands; legs luteous; claws black. Inhabits Sweden, also Greenland, but is there seldom met with ; is called by the natives Millekulartok, signifying spotted—also seen in the desart and open places between the Don and Wolga, in the Russian dominions, but we believe is not very common any where— is probably allied to the Jerfalcon. 22.—_ BROWN FALCON. Falco fuscus, Ind. Orn.i. p.21. Bris.i. 381. Id. 8yo.i. 95. Gm. Lin.i, 171. Vultur Pygargus, Frisch. t, 76. Brown Falcon, Gen. Syn. i. 68. SIZE of the Jerfalcon; bill ash-coloured; cere yellowish; head brownish, marked with longitudinal rusty brown spots; upper part of the body brown, . spotted with deeper brown—beneath white, spotted with brown, the spots on the breast lance-shaped ; tail barred rufous white, and rusty brown; legs yellow; claws black. Inhabits Europe, and is most likely also related to the Jerfalcon. st Cn FALCON. 23.—SPOTTED FALCON. Falco versicolor, Ind. Orn. i. 33. Gm. Lin.i. 272. Daud. 4, 105. Tem. Man, d’ Orn. p. 21. Spotted Falcon, Gen. Syn.i. p.74. Br. Zool. i. pl.26. Id. Ed. 1812, pl.25. Lewin. i. pl. 13. Shaw's Zool. vii. 127. Orn. Dict. & Sup. SIZE of a buzzard ; bill black; cere and irides yellow ; crown and hind part of the neck white, spotted with light reddish brown ; back and. scapulars the same, edged with white ; quillsdusky, barred with ash colour; beneath the body white, with a few rusty spots on the neck and breast; rump white; tail barred with lighter and darker brown ; legs strong. This has twice been shot in Shropshire—but is not uncommen m America, as Mr. Abbot ranks it among the birds frequenting Georgia. He says, it equals in size the barred-breasted Buzzard, and observes, that the lesser wing coverts are marked with white, most so on the mner webs, the ends brown, and when the feathers lie smooth no white appears ; the young male has a great proportion of white. The female does not greatly differ—the rump white; tail light brown, with nine darker bars, and a white tip; under part of the tail white, but only four or five pale dusky bars visible. The food is the same as that of the barred-breasted, also locusts and grassheppers. Mr. Abbot adds, that the Hawks retire into the thick woods and swamps to breed, but after they bring out their young, are destructive to fowls and chickens—are most frequent the first of winter, sunning themselves on the tops of dead trees in frosty mornings, Daudim supposes this to be a variety of the Common Falcon, but Col. Montagu, with greater probability, thinks it allied to the Jerfaleon, L2 76 FALCON: 24—_ HONEY BUZZARD. Falco apivorus, Ind. Orn. i. 25. Lewin.i. 130. . Faun. suec. No. 65. Gm. Lin. i. 267. Bris.i. 410. Id. 8vo. 117. Ratip. 16. Will. p.39.t.3. Brun. p. 5. Mull. No. 68. Kram.331. Beckst. Deutsch. 11. 263. Daud. ir. 159, Shaw’s Zool. vii. p. 114. em. Man. d’Orn. p. 23. Die Bienfresser, Naturf. 8. s. 54. La Bondrée, Buf. 208. Pl. Enl. 420. 423. Zinnan. t. 13. £.'75. Honey Buzzard, Gen. Syn.1. p.52. Id. Sup.p.14. Br. Zool.i. 56. Id. fol. pl. A. 4. and A*.4, IJd.ed- 1812. p.235. Arct. Zool. ii, p. 224.1. Albin.i. pl.2.. Will. Engl. 78. pl.3. Bewick.i. pl.p.17. Lewin. i. t.1. Id. t.i. f.4.egg. White's Selborne, p. 109. Pult. Dors. p.3. Walc.i. pl.7. Orn. Dict. §& Sup. LENGTH 23 in. weight 26 ounces, or more; breadth four feet ; bill and cere dusky; irides golden yellow; head ash-colour; the rest of the plumage above deep brown; chin yellowish white, marked with narrow brown lines; fore part of the neck rufous brown; breast and belly transversely barred rufous and white, each feather bemg white, with two bars of brown; tail dull brown, crossed with a darker bar near the end, and another in the middle; legs short, stout, yellow; claws black. That described in the British Zoology had the breast and belly white, both marked with dusky spots, pomtmg downwards, and three bars in the tail. Limnzeus’s bird had only one band on the tail, the tip of which was white. Brisson observes, that the side tail feathers are banded with white on the inner web, and spotted with brown, but Albin’s specimen had no bars on the tail. Hence we may infer, that the bird is subject to much variety; insomuch as to make it difficult to say what is the simple, or true state of the plumage. That first described is taken from one in my own collection. This species is the least common in England of all the Buzzards, and may be called rare. Willoghby supposes it to feed on the larvae of wasps and bees; also caterpillars, both hairy and smooth, have FALCON. 77 been found im the stomach—said to build on trees, making a nest with small twigs, and lined with wool, laying two eggs, dirty white, blotched with ferruginous; but according to Mr. White, dotted at each end with a smooth red spot, and a broad bloody band in the middle. I believe the eggs vary much in respect to colour, as I observed in the Museum of the late Dutchess Dowager of Portland, some of a deep red brown, blotched with ferruginous. It is found, more or less, on the European continent, in Russia, as well as Siberia, especially where woods are near, and lizards plentiful, of which it is fond, but will also eat mice, and the large sort of dragon flies; however, we believe it to be no where a common bird. A.—Falco incertus, Ind. Orn. i. 32. Daud. ii. 103. Falco dubius, Mus. Carls. fase. ii. t. 26. Gen. Syn, Sup. ii. p. 27. Bill black; irides yellow; head, hind part of the neck, and wing coverts cinereous brown, margined outwardly with ferruginous ; chin, throat, and breast rust colour; the shafts of the feathers black ; tail cimereous, tipped with black, crossed with three brown bands towards the base ; legs saffron colour. Inhabits Sweden, but is not a common species. 25.—LONG-TAILED FALCON. Falco macrourus, Ind. Orn.i. p.29. Gm. Lin.i. 269. N.C. Petr. xv. p.439. t.8.9. Gmel. It.i. p.48. Lepech. It.i. p. 59, 41. Daud.ii. p.90. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 160. Long-tailed Falcon, Gen. Syn-i. p.59. LENGTH 19in.; breadth nearly 2ft.; bill black, at the base green ; cere yellow ; eyelids and irides saffron colour; upper parts of 78 FALCON. the body cinereous, on the back inclining to red; beneath white, tinged with ash-colour on the upper part of the neck ; tail 3$in, long, rounded, whitish, banded alternately with deeper and paler brown, the two middle feathers plain ; legs yellow; claws black. The female is brown above, and the feathers edged with chest- nut, most so on the head; beneath inclining to yellow; quills deep brown, with whitish tips; tail brown, the four middle feathers trans- versely marked with deeper brown, and others with broad interrupted bands, all of them with ferruginous tips, but that of the outer ene spotted with black. Inhabits Russia; known by the name of Lun, 26.—MARGINED FALCON. Falco marginatus, Ind. Orn.i. p.26. It. per Poseg. p.28. Daud. i. 167. Margined Falcon, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 24. SIZE of a fowl; head and back feathers brown, with ferruginous margins—beneath the body ferruginous, with longish oval spots. Quills brown, with several obscure bands, and ferrugimous white tips ; tail brown, with four broad, dusky brown bands, margined on both sides with white, and a white tip, beneath whitish with trans- parent bands. Inhabits Sclavonia. FALCON. 79 27.—BUZZARD. Falco Buteo, Ind. Orn. i. p.23. Lin, Syst.i. 127. Fn. Suec. No. 60, Gm. Lin. i, 265. Raii Syn. p.16, Will. p.38, t.6. Scop. Ann.i. No.4, Brun, p.5. Mull.No. 64. Georgi p.164. Bris. i. 406. Id. 8vo. 206. Klein. Av. p.50. Id. Stem. p.8. t. 8. f.2. ab. Id. Ov. p.19. t.6. f.2. Faun. Arag. p.68. Kram. el. 329. Beckst. Deutsch. ii. s.238. t.x. Daud. ii. 154. Hist.de Lyons,i. 198. Goiran. Shaw's Zool. vii. p.109. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p. 20. Id. Ed. 2. p. 63. Busthart, Naturf. vii. s, 52. La Buse, Buf. i. 206. t.8. Pl. Enl. 419. Voy. en Barb. i. 266. Maasse Geyer, Gunth. Nest. u. Ey. t.50? Pojana secunda, Zénnan. 85. t. 14. f. 56, Buzzard, Gen. Syn.i. p.48. Id. Sup. p.14. Br. Zool.i. No. 54. pl.25. Jd. fol. t. A. 3. Id. ed. 1812. i. p.232. pl.27. Will. Engl. p.70. Alb.i. t.1. Bewick i. pl. p.15. Lewin Br. Birds.i. pl.6. Walcot Br. Birds. 1. pl. 6. Pult. Cat. p.3. Graves Br. Ornith. Orn. Dict. THIS is bigger in the body than a kite ; length 1 ft. 8in. 5 bill lead colour; cere luteous; irides dark ; the body is ferruginous brown above; beneath pale, varied with brown; tail brown above, barred with darker brown; beneath greyish, tipped with rufous white; legs yellow, claws black. Is the common Buzzard of all authors, by some called Puttock, and well known; its food is various; birds, small quadrupeds, reptiles and insects; varies extremely, scarcely two being found alike. It breeds in large woods, usually in an old crow’s nest; lays two or three eggs at most, which are bluish white, with rusty spots, chiefly at the larger end. In some parts of France is thought good food, and is generally fat in winter. Is not very frequent in Russia, and in Siberia extremely scarce; is sufficiently common in yarious parts of Germany, but certainly less so about Berlin, for I well recollect, that once desiring Dr. Bloch, of Berlin, to procure for me a Bustard’s egg, which is there not uncommon, he mistaking my meaning for that of a Buzzard’s egg, observed, that he 80 FALCON. could not obtam one, but very obligingly sent me a drawing of the subject in question instead; common m some parts of Spain, and now and then taken at Gibraltar on its passage to and from Barbary. A.—Falco Freti Hudsonis, Bris.i. 356. Id. 8vo. 103. Daud.ii, 156.D. Gm. Lin. 1. 267. Shaw’s Zool. vii. p. 110. Faucon de la Baie d’Hudson, Buf.i. 223. La Buse cendrée, Vietll. Am.i. p. 33. Ash-coloured Buzzard, Gen. Syn. i. p.55. Edw. pl.53. Arct. Zool. iu. No. 103. THE American bird is somewhat larger than the European ; the bill and cere bluish; irides yellow; over the eye a white line spotted with brown, under it a dusky one; plumage above cimereous brown; beneath mixed with white; quills dark brown, the first spotted outwardly with white; tail above cinereous brown, banded with grey; beneath cimereous, banded with white; legs bluish ash- colour, feathered for half the length ; claws black. TInhabits Hudson’s Bay, Newfoundland, and other places in America; called, at New Yerk, the great hen Hawk. B.—Buteo pennatus, Daud. ii. 156. Buse Gantée, Levail. Otis. pl. 28. This seems to be a variety of the common Buzzard, having the legs and toes feathered. Levaillant met with this bird in Africa. C.—Buteo Albus, Daud. ii. 155. This variety is white, marked with brownish spots; most sparing on the head, throat, and breast ; wings white. Two of these are in the Museum at Panis. FALCON, 81 27.—PEREGRINE FALCON. «jf rt to trud nmanoyv Jar Falco peregrinus, Ind. Orn. i. 33. Gm. Lin.i. 272, Rati Syn. p. 13, Will. p. 43. t.8. Gerin. Orn. i. t. 23.24. *Daud. Orn. ii. p. 97. Bris. Orn. i. 341. ‘Id. 8vo. 98. Beckst. Deutsch. iis. 300) t.xiv Besek. Vog. Kur. p.?. t.1.) Shaw's Zool. vii. p. 128. Amer. Orn. ix. 120, pl, 75. £3... Tem. Man. Ed. 2. p.22. Faucon Pelerin, Buf.i. 249, t.16. Pl. En. 430. an old bird: Peregrine Falcon, Gen: Syn.i. 73. Id. Sup.18. Br. Zool.i. No. 48. t.20. Id. fol. t/ A®5, | Td. ed.1812, i. p/218. pl. 20. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 97. Lewin’s Birds, i. pl. 12. Will. Engl. 76. pl. 8. Walcot.i, t-12... Orn. Dict. § Sup. Lin. Trans. xl, p. 529: Falco niger, Bris.i. 327. E, Id. 8vo. 94. Gm. Lin. 1. 279. Falco fuscus, Frisch. t.83. Rati Syn. p. 161. 5. - Faucon passager, Buf. i. 263. Pl. Enl. 469. Black Falcon, Gen. Syn. i. 67. Edw. pl. 4. IT appears from a variety of observations, that the two, quoted as different birds by authors, are in reality only the Peregrine, which even in the adult state varies not a little. The general description of the old bird is as follows:—length 18in.; breadth 36; hill bluish ; cere and irides luteous, in some dusky; the plumage above cinereous, with transverse brown bands, darkest about the head; beneath rufous white, crossed with blackish bands; tail banded, cmereous and: blackish, with a.white tip; legs short, yellow; toes long, claws black. The Black, so called by authors, differs in having the feathers of the upper part of the neck, wing coverts, and rump, edged with white; on each side of the head a large, curved, black mark from the mouth, like a mustacho, in a bed of white; under parts brownish, each feather tipped with black; wing coverts black, with white spots; edges of the wing white; legs lead. colour. VOL. I. M 82 FALCON. Falco maculatus, Bris. i. 329. F. Id. 8vo.95. Daud. ii. p. 95. D. & 98. B. Falco nevius, Gm. Lin. i 271. Spotted-winged Falcon, Gen. Syn. i. 68. Edw. pl.-3. This, if not the female, is the young bird of the Peregrine. — Size of the last; bill and cere the same; irides obscure; plumage above brown; on each side of the head a large black mark under the eye, passing to the beginning of the neck; beneath the plumage is white, spotted with brown; the spots largest on the breast and belly; wing coverts brownish, marked with round white spots; legs as in the other. A.—Falco tataricus, Bris.i. 341. Id. 8vo. 98. Gm. Lin. i. 272. Belon. Ois, p. 11. Tartarian Falcon, Gen. Syn. i. 73. This differs in being a trifle larger, and having the wings rufous above, and the toes longer in proportion. B.—Falco barbarus, Ind. Orn. i. 33. Lin. Syst.i. 125. Gm. Lin. i. 272. Bris. i. 343. A. Id. 8vo. 99. Ger. Orn. i. t.25, 26, 27? Daud. ii. 98. C. Shaw's: Zool. vi. 129. Falco tunetanus, Rati Syn. p. 14. Will. p. 47. Klein, p. 48. Barbary Falcon, Gen. Syn.i.72. Will. Eng. 81. Albin. 3. pl. 2. In size and colour this most resembles the Lanner; length 17in.; bill black; cere and irides yellow; plumage bluish ash- colour, spotted with black; few or no spots on the wings; breast yellowish white, with a blue tinge; on the lower part of the belly largish black spots; quills black, with the outer edges white ; wings nearly as long as the tail, which is crossed with seven brown bands. Inhabits Barbary. The Peregrine Falcon seems to be a general inhabitant ; but we believe it to be less frequent in England FALCON. 83 than in some other parts, and was formerly better known, from its being made use of in falconry. It chiefly frequents our rocky coasts; and preys much on the guillemot and razor-bill, during their breeding season. Col. Montagu informs us, that these birds breed about Tenby, and are in plenty along the coast of Caermar- thenshire. Mr. Pennant observes, that they breed in the rocks in the Highlands.* The eggs are three or four in number, of a yellowish red colour, marked with brown spots, and the female sits 18 or 20 days.t It is met with in various other parts of Europe ; in the northern parts of Asia; is frequént in Kamschatka ; wanders in summer to the very arctic circle, returning south in winter; is also in America, where it is observed to be of a very large size; at Hudson’s Bay known by the name of Papana-sew-kaycaké; has been killed in lat.66.N. and long.58,w. and therefore most probably from America.t It was observed to me, by Dr. Heysham, that a female, killed May, 1781, in the mountains about Keswick, in Cumberland, weighed 3610z.; was 19in. in length, and 42 in breadth; that it is very destructive to game; for near the nest were found the remains of moor-game, partridges, plovers, &e.;§ is a very noisy and cla- * Tour in Scotl. 1769. p. 130. + Beckstein. + Lin. Trans. 12. p. 529. § It has been mentioned to me, that one of these, in the vicinity of Hamstead Park, Berks, a male bird, had been the tyrant of the place for several years, and was so shy, as to elude every attempt to shoot him. This bird found no difficulty in attacking hares, as well as other game, and destroyed numbers of them, At last, the keeper, being concealed for the purpose of shooting a buck, and the bird coming within 100 yards of him, the man fired, and with a single ball in his gun, was lucky enough to dispatch him.—Dr. Lamb. M2 84 FALCON. morous bird ; the young in the nest were three in number, and _ the male fed them for a week or ten days after the female was killed. The Peregrine Falcon is found in Georgia, in America, where. it is called Spotted Cinereous Hawk. Mr. Abbot observes, that it-is brown the first year, and sometimes brown mixed, but does not gain the dark plumage till the followimg season ; hence .it seems to be an inhabitant of America throughout; but it is observed there, to exceed that of Europe in size. Said not to be unfrequent in India, about Beigel! 29.—LANNER FALCON. Falco lanarius, Ind. Orn.i, 38. Zin. i. 129. Faun. Suec. No. 62. Gm. Lin. i. 276. Raitt p. 15. Will. p-48... Bris. i. 363. | Id. 8vo. i: 105.» Klem, 48... Brun. No. 1.2? Muller, No. 67 ‘ Bechst. Deutsch, i. s., 296. Gerin. i. t.26? Daud. i, 101. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 130. Le Lanier, Buf. i. 243. Lanner, Gen. Syn. i. 86. Id. Sup. 21. ~ Br. Zool.i. t. 23. Id. ed. 1812, p. 223, pl. 23. Arct. Zool. ii. 225. Will. Engl. 82. Albin.ii, pl. 7.' Bewick, i. p. 32. . Walcot, i. pl. 16. Orn. Dict. & Sup. LESS than a Buzzard; bill and cere blue; irides yellow ; plumage above brown, the feathers edged with paler brown ; crown of the head brown and clay colour; over each eye to the hindhead a broad white line; beneath it a black mark, poimting downwards ; throat white; breast tinged with dull yellow, marked with brown spots, passing downwards; thighs and vent the same ; quills dusky, with oval ferruginous spots on the inner webs ; legs short, strong, and bluish. This is now and then met with in England, but said to breed in Ireland, not uncommon in the northern parts of Europe; inhabits FALCON. 85 Iceland and the Ferroe Islands, Denmark, and Sweden, frequent in the Tartarian desarts, and the Baraba, though not in the northern or eastern parts of Siberia ;* well known about Astrachan, building among the shrubs and low trees. Used by the Calmues in falconry;t is for the most part migratory, but is said to stay in France the whole year.t A.—Lanarius albicans, Ind. Orn.i. 38. Bris. i. 367. Id. 8vo. 107. Aldrov. i. 380. t. p. 181, 183.¢ Gm. Lin. i. 276. Daud. ii. 174. White Lanner, Gen. Syn. i. p. 87 Two yarieties of this are mentioned by Aldrovandus, the first 193in. long; bill black; cere, irides, and legs, yellow; general colour of the plumage brownish ; quills and tail nearly black ; under the tail pale grey. The second more than 2ft. in length; head and back brown, mixed with grey; rump whitish; wing coverts and breast grey ; under parts grey, marked with longitudmal ferrugmous spots ; the two outer tail feathers white, spotted with pale ferruginous; the fourth on each side spotted with black, the two middle ones grey. The Lanner is thought by some.to be a variety, or young bird, of the Peregrine Falcon. . B.—Abyssinian White-breasted Lanner, Salt. Abyss, pl. xlii. Size of common falcon; beak and feet bluish; general’ colour deep brown, approaching to black; the whole of the breast clear white. Inhabits Abyssinia ; called by the natives Goodie-goodie. They * Mr. Pennant. + Decouv. Russ. iii. 303. + Hist. de Lyons, i. p. 200. § These figures do not seem accurate, 86 FALCON. have so much veneration for it, as not to suffer it to be killed ; and, on setting out on a journey, if one is met with, and sits stil], with the breast towards them, it is considered as a peculiarly good sign; but if the back be turned, unpropitious. If the bird fly away hastily on approach, the most superstitious will return home, and wait for a more favourable opportunity. 30.—_STARRY FALCON. Falco stellaris, Ind. Orn. i. 35. Gm. Lin.i.274. Bris.i. 359. Id. 8vo.1. 103. Daud. ii. 109 Klein. Av. p.52. Id. Ov. 19. t. 6. 7.5. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p. 34. Id. Ed. 2. p. 23. Blue-footed Falcon, Will. Orn. p. 82. Shaw’s Zool, vii. 154. Starry Falcon, Gen. Syn. i. p. 79. THIS in shape and size is said to be like the Peregrine Falcon, but has shorter wings, and a longer tail; plumage in general blackish, marked with spots like stars; breast black and white mixed ; quills blackish; legs blue; irides gold colour. Inhabits the mountaineus parts of Europe, laying red coloured eggs, spotted with a paler colour; it seems a doubtful species, sup- posed to be a young Lanner. FALCON, 87 31.—MOOR BUZZARD. Falco eruginosus, Ind. Orn. i. p. 25. Lin. i. 180. Faun. Succ. No. 66. Gm. Lin. i. 267. Raitt Syn. p.17. Will. p.42.t.7. Brun, p.5. Muller, No. 69. Faun. Arag. p. 69. Sepp. Vog. t.p. 15. Nozem. Ned. Vog. t.8.9. Klein Av. p. 51. Id. Stem. p. 8. t.7. f. lea. b. Id. Ov. p. 19. t.6. f.3. Kramer, 328, Phil. Trans. liv. p. 346. Frisch. t. 77. It. Poseg. p. 28. Beckst. Deutsch. ii. s. 249. Daud. Orn.ii, p. 165. Shaw's Zool. vii. 116, Tem. Man. d’Orn. p. 25. Falco beeticus, Gerin. Orn. t. 32, 33. 34. Circus palustris, Bris. i. 401. Id. 8vo. 115. Busard, Buf. i. 218. t..10.. pl enl. 424. Cet. uc..Sard..p. 45.- Faux Perdrieux, Belon.114.. Hist. de Lyons, i. 203.. Il Nibbio, Zinnan. Uov. p. 83. t. 13. f. 74. Huhnerweyhe, Naturf. viii. s. 56. 23. Moor Buzzard, Gen. Syn..i. p,53. Id. Sup. p.15.. Br. Zool.i. no. 57.. pl. 27. Id. Jol. 67. t.A.5. Id. ed. 1812. i. p. 237. pl. 28. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 225. L. Will. Engl. p.75, pl. 7. Alb.i. pl. 3. Bewick, i. pl. p. 19. Lewin’s Birds, i. pl. 8. Id, Eggs, t.iie 1. Waleot, i. pl. 8.. Pelt. Dorset: p.3. Lin. Trans. iv. p. 13. THE length of this species is 21in.; weight 20 oz.; bill black ; cere and irides yellow ; general colour of the plumage cho- colate brown, with a ferruginous tinge; legs yellow, long, and slender. The female islarger, weighing 27 or 28 ounces; is 22in. long, and 4ft. 4in. in extent of wing. It is subject to much variety ; some specimens are plain, as above described; but in others the crown of the head, throat, and shoulders, are yellow, or clay colour; sometimes the crown of the head is yellowish white, in others the whole head of that colour. In two young birds, which I saw in full feather, one had the first and second outer quills of the right wing, and a large triangular spot on the chin white, and the bottom of the thighs the same ; the other had the crown yellow, and a large spot of yellow on: the chin; otherwise the colour of both these birds was ferruginous 88 FALCON. brown. We believe, however, that the greater part of this species has the top of the head more or less inclined to yellow. This is frequent in England, especially in the moors, marshy places, and wet heaths; makes the nest in a tuft of grass, fern, or rushes; composed of twigs and coarse grass; sometimes in the fork of a large tree; and lays four, rarely five, eggs of a plain white. It feeds principally on young rabbits and wild ducks, and occa- sionally on fish; is seen skimming over the ground like the Ring- tail, suddenly dropping on frogs, lizards, &c. Colonel Montagu once saw nine of these birds feeding together on the carcase of a dead sheep. Is not uncommon in France, and there found to build on the tops of trees; frequent in the south of Russia, but not met with in Siberia ; continues the whole year in Sweden. I have seen a plain coloured specimen, among some drawings from India, in which the crown of the head alone was yellow ; another, with the chin and whole top of the head white ; in one the whole crown, nape, chin, throat, and tip of the shoulder of the wing, were yellow clay colour; in another the top of the head and chin white; plumage deep ferruginous; met with at Cawnpore. A.—Falco rubiginosus, Ind. Orn. i. p.27. It. Poseg. 29. Daud. ii. 167, Shaw’s Zool. ii. 170. Rusty Falcon, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 36. The bill is black; head wholly whitish yellow; cheeks rusty ; plumage on the upper part of the body brown; beneath yellowish white, with an irregular, rusty coloured spot on the breast ; quills brown, with the outer edges hoary, the inner brown, crossed with several white bands; tail brown, marked with four testaceous bands ; legs yellow. Inhabits Sclavonia, and probably is no other than a variety of the Moor Buzzard. > FALCON, 89 B.—A further variety, or what appears to be such, has come under my inspection—in this the bill is blackish ; cere and legs pale yellow; general colour of the plumage chocolate brown. Head and neck cream-colour, the feathers dashed down the shafts with black lines, and below this dusky m the middle; sides of the head, below the eye, pale tawny; on the bend of the wing a dash of white; the under parts of the body, thighs, rump, and vent, ferrugimous ; tail dusky brownish green, rounded at the end, plain; the wings, when closed, reach almost to the end of it ; claws black. 32.—H ARPY FALCON. Falco rufus, Ind. Orn. i. 25. Gm. Lin. i. 266. Bris.i. 404. Id. 8vo.i. 115. Daud. n. 269. Shaw's Zool. vii. 113. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.26. Id. Ed. ii. p.70. Fishgeyer, Brandgeyer, Frisch. t.78. Beckst. Deuts.ii. 61. Harpaye, Buf.i. 217. Pi. enl. 460. Harpy Falcon, Gen. Syn.i. p. 51. LENGTH 20in. ; bill black ; irides saffron-colour; plumage in general rufous, but the back, scapulars, greater coyerts and ramp incline to brown, and in the rufous parts each feather has a stripe of brown down the middle; thighs rufous; tail ash-colour; greater quills black, the lesser ash-colour, the three next the body brown ; legs yellow. VOL. I. N 90 FALCON. Inhabits both France and Germany, near the banks of rivers and ponds, feeding on frogs and small reptiles, and not unfrequently on fish, which it is said to take alive out of the water, in the manner of the Osprey. This is probably related to the Moor-Buzzard, and, if not the same, far advanced in age. 33.—GREY FALCON. - Falco griseus, Ind. Orn.i. 37. Gm. Lin.i. 275. Daud.ii. 114. Grey Falcon, Gen. Syn.i. 82. Br. Zool.i. No. 49. Td. fol. pl. 65. Id. ed. 1812. i. p. 221. Lewin’s Birdsi. pl. 15. Orn. Dict. SIZE ofa raven.—Bill short, strong, hooked, and bluish ; cere and edges of eyelids yellow ; irides red ; head small, and flat, deep brown before, and white behind; sides of the head and throat cream-coloured; belly white, with oblong black spots; hind part of the neck and back deep grey ; tail long, wedge-shaped, and spotted, the two middle feathers plam; the wings reach beyond the middle of it; legs long, naked, yellow. A bird, as above described, was shot near Halifax, in Yorkshire, m the year 1762, and an account of it sent to Mr. Pennant by the late Mr. Bolton, of Worley Clough. We suspect it to be an im- mature individual of one of our English species, for I do not find that a second has ever been met with. FALCON, 91 34.—NORTHERN FALCON, Falco hyemalis, Ind, Orn.i. p.35. Gm. Lin. i, 274. Daud, ii, 110. Amer. Orn. iv. pl. 35. f. 1. La Buse d’Hiver, Vieill. Am. p. 35. pl. 7. Winter Falcon, Arct. Zool. ii. No. 107. Shaw's Zool. vii. 153. Northern Falcon, Gen. Syn.i. p.79. Id. Sup. ii. p. 39. LENGTH 18 in. to 20in. breadth 41 im.; bill dark horn-colour ; irides reddish ; plumage above deep lead-colour, edges of the feathers very dark: crown most so; on the hindhead a slight mixture of white; beneath ferruginous brown, with the appearance of inter- rupted bars of white, produced from the feathers being ferruginous, with two or three white spots on each side of the shaft, which is brown; tail deep lead or ash, crossed with four bars of a deeper colour, the outer one more brown than the rest; tips of all white ; between the dark bars beneath nearly white, the outer feather plain on the outer web; under tail coverts white; legs pretty long, and yellowish ; the wings reach beyond the middle of the tail. Inhabits some parts of North America; one of these presented to me, was brought from Hudson’s Bay; destroys many frogs, and frequently seen in moist meadows; comes in November, and departs Jate in March, A.—Falco hyemalis, Ind. Orn. i. p. 35. 78. var. Faucon a croupion blanc, Daud. ii. p.110. 78. Fieill. Am. i. p.36. pl. 8. L’Epervier brun 4 sourcils blancs, Voy. d’ Azara, ili. No, 25? Northern Falcon, Gen. Syn, i. p. 79. var. This is 16in. long; bill brown; cere greenish ; irides yellow; head ash-colour, each feather brownish in the middle, and ferruginous N2 92 FALCON. on the sides, inclining most to the last at the hindhead; cheeks pale ash-colour; orbits and chin whitish; neck ash-colour, inclining to brown behind, and before to ferruginous; back cinereous brown ; rump white; breast ferrugmous, more or less mixed with white ; belly and thighs white, marked with ferrugmous, each feather having two or three heart-shaped spots ; tail brown above, and pale beneath, with dusky bars; legs yellow. One of these was killed in Carolina, by M. C. Bosc. 35.—ASH-COLOURED FALCON. Ash-coloured Falcon, Orn. Dict. §& Sup. Lin. Trans. ix. 188. Br. Zool. ed. 1812. i. p- 243. Tem. Man. ed. ie p. 76. WEIGHT 9% ounces; length 18in. breadth 3ft. 82in. tail 93in. bill black; cere greenish; eyelids and irides bright yellow; crown, cheeks, throat, under part of the neck, and upper part of the breast dark ash-colour; neck above, back, and scapulars cinereous brown ; lesser wing coverts much the same, greater dusky black; quills nearly black, the first shortest, the third longest; second quills cinereous brown, with three dusky bars across them, half an inch broad, two of which are hid by the coverts; body beneath white, with a broad bright bay streak down the shaft of each feather; tail somewhat cuneiform, the two middle feathers dark brown, the others dark ash-colour, palest on the two or three outer feathers, the inner webs approaching to white, and all, except the two middle ones, with four equidistant bars on the inner webs, in the two outer bay, in the rest more or less dusky; legs orange-colour, long and slender; claws small, black. FALCON. 93 The above description is sketched from that in the Lin. Trans. in which it is said to be a male; it had the feathers behind the ears short, but no ruff, as in the Hen Harrier—said to be killed in November. . Since the above, Col. Montagu informed me, that he had met with the female, young, and egg. The female is not very unlike that sex of the Hen-Harrier, but the ferruginous parts are much brighter, and instead of the under being streaked with dusky, they are purely bright ferruginous—he had also a young male in this plumage, which he bred up; the old female was shot at the nest. The Colonel suspected this to be rather a distinct bird, than the hyemalis, and possibly an undescribed species.—He conjectures, likewise, that the last described may be the one menticned in the British Zoology, p- 295, as a variety of his Ringtail,* and not unlikely the Falco spadiceus, my Chocolate Falcon, may be this female—also, that the male, having been confounded with the Hen-Harrier, has never been described. The above are the outlines of the history of the bird in question, but the reader would do well to peruse what is further advanced concerning it, in the Lin. Trans. and Supplement to the Ornitholo- gical Dictionary. * This is described in the Edition of 1812, under the title of Ash-coloured Falcon, with due reference to the sourceyet the Falco hyemalis is made synonymous, 94 FALCON, 36.—HEN-HARRIER. MALE. Falco cyaneus, Ind. Orn.i. p.39. Lin. Syst. i. p.126. Gm. Lin. i. p. 226. Kram. 329, Mull. 74. It. Poseg. p.27. Daudin ii, 174. Beckst. Deuts. ii. 256. Shaw’s Zool, vil. 163. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.27. Id. ed.ii. p. 72. Falco torquatus, mas, Bris.i. 345. Id, 8vo.100. Brun. No. 14. Pygargus, mas, Raiz Syn.p.17. A.5. Will. p. 40. t.7. Falco albanella, Ger. Orn.i. 61. t.35? Tf. Poseg. p. 27? Lanarius cinereus, Frisch. t.'79. 80. Bris.i. 365. Id. Svo. 106. Falco plumbeus canda tessellaté, Klein. Av. 52. 22, Der Bleyfalke, Naturf. 8. s. 460. Oiseau St. Martin, Buf.i. 212. PI. enl. 459. Hen-Harrier, Gen. Syn.i. p. 88, Id. Sup. p.22. Br. Zool.i. pl. 28. Id. fol. t. A. 6. Id. ed. 1812.1. p. 239. pl.29, Edw. pl. 225. Will. Engl. p.72. Alb. ii. pl. 5. Hayes’s Br. Birds, pl.1. Bewick, ii. pl. p.33. Lewin’s Birds, t.18. Walcot’s Birds, i. pl.17. Pult. Dors.p.3. Don. Birds, iii. pl. 59. Montag. Orn. Dict. Lin. Trans. iv. p.12. Id. Vol. ix. p. 182. FEMALE. Falco Pygargus, Ind. Orn.i. p.39. Lin. Syst.i. 126. Gm, Lin.i. 277. Scop. Ann. i. p- 14. ‘Raz Syn. p.17. fem. Will. p.40. Brun. No.14. Mull. No.74. Faun. Arag. p.68. Kram. el. 330. Beckst. Deuts. ii. 852. Daud.ii. p.171. Falco torquatus, fem. Bris. i. 345. Id. 8vo.100. Gerin. Orn. p. 61. t.31.37. Id. t. 97? La Soubuse, Buf. i. 215. t.9. Pl. enl. 443. 480. La Buse des champs cendrée, Voy. d’ Azara, iii. No. 32? Ringtail, Gen. Syn.i. p.88. Id. Sup. p.22. Br. Zool.i. 59. Id. fol.t. A.7. Alb. ii. pl.3. Hayes’s Br. Birds, pl.2. Bewick.i. pl. p.35. Lewin’s Br. Birds, t. 18. F. Id. Eggs, pl.2. f.4. Will. Engl. p.72. Wale. Birds, i. pl.18. Orn. Dict. § Sup. THE male is about 17im. in length; width 3ft. 3in.; and weighs 12 or 13 ounces.—The bill flat ; cere, imdes, and edges of the eyelids, yellow; general colour of the plumage blue-grey ; back of the head white, spotted with pale brown ; breast, belly, and thighs white, on the first a few small dusky streaks; tail feathers grey, all but the two middle ones have the inner webs white, with dusky bars ; legs yellow, long, and slender; claws black. FALCON. 95 The female is 20in. in length, and weighs 18 ounces.—Bill, irides, and legs as in the male—plumage above, dusky; beneath, palish, marked with oblong rufous, or dusky spots; from the hind- head on each side, to the chin, passes a circular wreath made up of feathers stiffer than the rest, and paler im colour.—The rump is white, breast and belly yellowish brown, in some marked with oblong dusky spots. I need not detail here the various conjectures of authors con- cerning these birds, as they will be found in page 22 of my first Supplement. In addition, however, to our opinion of the two making but one species, Mr. Beckstem observes,* that they do not come to their complete plumage till the fourth year, and after that, they grow more white in proportion as they attain a greater age. + These birds are not uncommon in England, but seem to shift their quarters occasionally, no doubt in quest of food, which is various—young rabbits, and small quadrupeds, also lizards; are said also to suck eggs, and to destroy the nests of the smaller birds for that purpose. It makes a large nest of twigs, frequently on the ground, or in a thick bushy tree, and lays three or four eggs of a dirty white, about the size of those of a pheasant. To comprise the history of the two birds in question in as few words as possible, it appears to us, that m the first year both sexes are nearly alike, and similar to the female. The male, as it proceeds in age, by degrees obtains the blue-grey colour, but the female never wholly so, although in the progress of years it approaches thereto ; in the mean time is capable of breeding, and in course does so, long before the plumage is complete—hence the assertion of authors will be reconciled; some saying that the two sexes differ, the male being as before described, the female more or less rufous above, with a white rump, &c. Others aver, that both sexes differ but little in * Allg. U. d. Vog. Zusass. p. 668. + Mr: White shot one such at Gibraltar which was perfectly white—Consult Colonel Montagu’s remarks on this bird in the Lin. Trans. v.ix. p. 182. 96 FALCON. plumage, excepting the female being less bright in colour—and the fact appears to be so in old birds. I think it not amiss to repeat here, the opmion of that accurate Russian naturalist, Professor Pallas, conveyed to me many years since :—‘‘ The Ringtail is extremely com- mon in Russia, as well as Siberia; in more temperate and open countries is certainly not to be distinguished from the Hen-Harrier : both are found as far the lake Baikal; and I have observed, more than once, birds that were changing -colours, and getting the white feather. The-truth is, that the first year all are dark coloured, very differently variegated ; but at the second change of feathers, chiefly the males grow whitish; and such are the Auspeal birds of the Moguls aril Calmucs.” A.—Among the drawings of Sir J. Anstruther, as well.as those of Gen. Hardwicke, I find a Hen-Harrier of a very pale colour; head and under parts white, the rest pale ash-colour—said to imhabit Bengal, .and there called Pustey—in the same set -of drawings is one called a variety, probably a female: this is brown above, and cream-coloured beneath ; a pale wreath surrounds the head, and a curved streak beneath the eye; inner wing coverts pale ; tail crossed with six blackish bars, the outer feather paler than the middle ones; bill black; legs long and yellow. The figure above referred to is 18in. long—head and upper parts chocolate brown, round the lower part of the head a wreath, as in the British species; on the wing coverts a large mixture of rufous white; throat, breast, and belly of the last named colour ; thighs paler; tail brown, the two middle feathers twice barred with darker, and one of the same at the base, the others pale, with the three bars very little differing from the two middle ones ; legs yellow; bill and claws black. This seems to differ from the other, chiefly in having three bars on the tail instead of six. FALCON, 97 B.—Falco albus, White's Journ. to Bot. Bay, t.p. 250. This is nearly the shape of the Hen-Harrier, but entirely white throughout. Bill black ; cere and legs yellow. C.—Falco hudsonius, Ind. Orn.i. 40. 8. Lin. i. 128. Gm. Lin. i. 277. Bris. yi. Sup. p-18. Id. 8vo. 119. Daud. ii. 173. Ger. Orn.i. t.44. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 165. Busard roux, Vieill. Amer.i. p.36. pl. 9. White-rumped Bay Falcon, Gen. Syn.i. p.54. 34. B. Hudson’s Bay Ringtail, Gen. Syn.i, p. 91. Edw.t.107. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 106. Bill, cere, and legs as in the last described; plumage in general ferruginous, with a tinge of brown; cheeks, and round the eyes darker; rump white; the two middle tail feathers ash-colour, the others ferruginous; all of them crossed with four bars of very dark brown ; tips dusky. Mr. Pennant describes this bird as having a dusky bill, and yellow cere; a white line over each eye; plumage above dusky brown—beneath whitish, with ferruginous spots; vent and rump white; middle tail feathers dusky, the next bluish ash-colour, the outermost white, all marked with orange bars. In size it rather exceeds our British species, and has the same manners in every respect; weighs 172 ounces; length 21in.; breadth three feet seven inches. Inhabits Hudson’s Bay; is frequently seen im the open and temperate parts of Russia; extends as far as Lake Baikal, but not - common in the north of Europe. VOL. I. oO 98 FALCON. D.—Falco Buffoni. Ind. Orn.i. p.40. 7. Gm. Lin.i. 277. Daud. ii. 172. Cayenne Ringtail, Gen. Syn.i. p.91. A. Shaw’s Zool. vin, 166. Length two feet; breadth four; bill black; cere blue; parts above chocolate brown; fore part of the neck the same, but paler; on the hindhead a little mixture of white; round the ears, on each side, a kind of wreath, conspicuous in all the former described; over the eyes a pale yellow line, from the bill, meeting the wreath behind ; chin whitish ; from this to the breast buff-colour; beneath the body reddish buff, streaked with brown; rump white; all the tail feathers barred pale and dark brown; most of the inner webs whitish, and the tip very pale; legs yellow, claws black ; the wmgs, when closed, reach to the middle of the tail. Inhabits Cayenne—a specimen, in the collection of Miss Blomefield, was entitled Due de Buffon. A bird, similar to this, if not the same, is known in Georgia, by the name of Tawny Hawk; it answers very nearly to the last description, but all the under parts are pale rufous, marked on the throat and breast with brown streaks, the belly and thighs with deeper rufous ones; two middle tail feathers brown ash, with four brown bars, the one nearest the end twice as broad as the others; end whitish. This is 18in. in length; 3 ft. 4m. broad, and said to be rarely met with. M. d’Azara mentions a bird, common about Paraguay, which answers, in many respects, to the Ringtail, and supposes it to be the same, but his annotator does not allow of it. FALCON, 99 37.—KITE. Falco Milvus, Ind. Orn. i. p20: Lin, Syst.i. 126: Faun. Suec. No.57. Gm: Lin. i. 261. Ratt Syn. p.17. A.6. Will. 41. t.6. Brun. No.3. Mull, No. 61, Georgi. 164. Kram. el.326. Ger, Orn.i. t.39, Borowsk. Nat, ii. p.72. Daud. Orn. ii. 147. Beckst. Deuts.ii. s.243. Bris.i. 414. t.33. Id, 8vo. 118. Shaw’s Zool: vii. p-103. Tem. Man.d’Orn. p.18, Id. ed.ii. p. 59. Falco cauda forcipaté, Klein. Av. 51. 13. Id. Ov. 19; t. 6. f.1. Milan royal, Buf.i. 197. t.7. Pl. enl. 422. Voy.en Barb.i. 266. Il Nibbio, Cet. we. Sard.57. Zinnan. Ov. 82, t.13. f.73. Der Weyhe, Naturf. 8. s. 47. Hunergeyer, Licht. Mag. iv. 2. 6. Weisser Milan, Gunth. Nest.u. Ey.t.63? Wirs. Vog, t.48. Kite, Gen. Syn.i. p-61. Id. Sup. p.17. Id. Sup.ii. p.30. Br. Zool.i. No.53. Id. fol. t.A.2. Id. ed. 1812.1. p.229. Arct. Zool. ii. 223. H. Will. Engl. p. 74. pl. 6. Alb.i. pl.4. Hayes’s Br. Birds, pl.5. Bewick,i. pl. p.21. Lewin’s Birds, i. pl.10. Id. Eggs, pl. 2. f. 3. Wale. Birds, i. pl. 10. Pult. Dors. p.3. Donov. Br. Birds, ii. pl. 47. Graves’s Br. Birds. Orn. Dict. & Sup. THIS species weighs 2 lbs. 60z.; length two feet; the female is larger, and weighs four ounces more; in length 2 ft. 4in.; breadth 54 feet. The bill is brownish; cere yellow; irides straw-colour ; feathers of the head and neck hoary white, long and narrow, with a dash of brown down the shaft of each; body ferrugious, marked down the shafts with a darker colour; quills blackish; tail twelve inches long, and much forked; legs yellow; claws black. In the the female the colours are less ferruginous, and incline more to brown. It is very common in England, and in the warmer parts of the kingdom may be seen at all times; makes the nest generally between the forks of a tree, of sticks, lmed with wool, hair, feathers, and not unfrequently bits of rags, or any soft material it meets with, The eggs are three, or at most four in number, of a bluish white, cinereous red at one end, blending itself with the white by small 02 100 FALCON. markings; sometimes plain, without markings. Colonel Montagu observes, that each weighs nearly two ounces. On the continent, it mhabits the northern part of Europe, as high as Jarlsberg, in the very south of Norway, but does not extend farther. .It.can scarcely be said to migrate, yet certainly does shift its quarters occasionally ;_it is no where more common than in Egypt, as well as other parts of Africa—and I learn from Mr. White, that it is not uncommon at Gibraltar, resting there in its passage to and from Spain and Barbary—hence has there obtained the name of the Barbary Kite. The times of appearance are in March and April, and again in Autumn, though in fewer numbers; these are accom- panied by hawks of some other kinds. Said to be most frequent in the temperate and well inhabited parts of Russia ; scarcer in Siberia, but not far to the north: not uncommon about the Lake Baikal, but none beyond the Lena. Frequents sheep downs in the breeding season, when skirted with wood, but in winter near towns, watered by rivers, where it has been observed to sweep off, dexterously, offal floating on the surface; will lay as far as four eggs, some of a pure white, others much speckled; drives away the young, as soon as they are able to shift for themselves. It has been observed, that a female Kite will weigh 2 lbs. 10 0z. the egg 2} ounces, so that 17 eggs would but just exceed the weight of the bird; but the raven is so disproportionate, as to require 48 to answer the same purpose. The Kite is also found in great numbers in India, living there all the year, and with the Hooded Crow, feeding in the very streets ; but im Bengal the Kites retire to the mountains, and return in the dry season.** Kites have been observed to destroy great numbers of moles, which frequently come to the surface of pasture lands, in search after caterpillars, and insects of all kinds, and an instance is on record, * View of Hindoostan, 2. p.90. FALCON. 101 of 22 moles having been found in one Kite’s nest, as well as many frogs, and unfledged birds.* A.—Milvus vertice & gula castaneis, S. G. Gmel. It. i. p. 147. Milvus castaneus, Ind. Orn.i. p. 21. Daud. Orn. ii. 148. A. This variety of the common Kite chiefly differs, in having the crown of the head and the throat chestnut-coloured, B.—Accipiter Korschun, WN. C. Petr, xv. 444, t.ii. a. S.G, Gmelin. Ind. Orn. i. p. 21.377. Shaw’s Zool. vii. p. 105. Milvus russicus, Daud. Orn. ii. 146. B. Russian Kite, Gen. Syn. i. p. 63, 46. This has the bill lead colour ; cere green ; nostrils covered with bristles: head, upper part of the neck, and throat, chestnut; region of the eyes white; sides of the head, and the rest of the body pale brown ; quills and tail vinaceous at the tips; legs wrinkled ; claws black. This variety inhabits Russia, where it is solitary, and feeds on small birds and mice, chiefly about Tanain, near the city of Tschercask. C.—Milvus jaicensis, Lepech. It. ii. p. 180, t.2. Ind. Orn. i. p.21, 37.8. Daud. Orn. ii. 148. c This chiefly differs from the common Kite, in having the feathers which cover the back of a violet colour, each having a mark of white at the tip. * Trans. Soc, Arts and Manuf. 19. p. 179. 102 FALCON. 38.—BLACK KITE. Falco ater, Ind. Orn. i. p. 21. Gm. Lin.i. p. 262, Bris. Orn. i. p. 413. Id. 8vo. 117, It. Poseg. p.28. Daud. Orn. ii. 149. D. Beckst. Deuts. ii. 259. Shaw's Zool. vi. p. 105. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p. 19. Id. Ed. 2. p. 61. Brauner wald-geyer, Kram. el. 326.5. Gunth. Nest. u. Ey. t. 55. Koenigs-weyhe, Naturf. viii. s. 47. Milan noir, Buf. Ois. i. 203. pl. enl, 472. Black Kite, Gen. Syn.i, p. 62. Sibb. Scot. ill. iit. 1. 3. p. 15. THIS is smaller than the common Kite, and differs from that bird, in having the upper part of the body of a very dark brown ; head, breast, and under parts whitish ; the bill, cere, and legs the colour of those in the common Kite, but the last are more slender; and, according to Kramer, the tail is very little forked at the end ; yet, in attending to this Author's full description, it seems to possess so many markings in common with the Kite, as to cause some hesitation, whether or not it may belong to that species. I find, however, in the MSS. notes of the late Rev. J. White, who resided several years at Gibraltar, that it is regarded by him, and others, as differing from the common species. His specification of it is “ F. cera flava, cauda forcipata, corpore fusco-castaneo, capite albidiore.” He adds, that both this and the common Kite are frequent at Gibraltar, resting there in their migration from Africa into Spain, in greatest numbers in March and April, mostly during a brisk westerly wind, directing their flight against it; they return again in autumn, but in smaller parties. Mr. White seems positive of its being a different species from the common kite, al- though in many birds the tail is equally forked ; but the irides are FALCON. 103 dark hazel, and not yellow; and thinks it more probable, that this and Austrian Kite, or following, are varieties of each other. A —Falco austriacus, Ind. Orn. i. 21. Gm. Lin. i. 262. Daud. ii, 149, E. Beckst. Deuts. ii. 261. Shaw's Zool. vii. 106. Brauner Geyer, Brauner Milon, Kram. 327, 6. Austrian Kite, Gen. Syn. i, 62. Size of our kite; bill yellow, tip black; cere and angles of the mouth yellow; irides black; palate blue; forehead and throat whitish, spotted with brown; head, neck, back, breast, and wings, chestnut; shafts of the feathers black ; belly and rump testaceous brown, obscurely spotted with brown; prime quills blackish; se- condaries tipped with white; tail very little forked, crossed with several blackish bands; tips of the feathers white; legs yellow, fea- thered to the middle; claws black. Inhabits Austria; lives chiefly in woods, and feeds on birds, mice, and other smal] quadrupeds, Is probably a variety of the black species, if not of the common kite; said to lay three or four yellowish-white eggs, thickly spotted with brown. 104 FALCON. 39.—PARASITE FALCON. Falco parasiticus, Ind. Orn. Sup. p. v. Daud. ii. 150. Tem. Man, d’Orn. 21. Le Parasite, Levaill. Ois. i. p. 88, pl. 22. Parasite Falcon, Gen. Syn. Supp. 2d. p. 30, IN this the bill is yellow, instead of black, as in the common kite; cere bluish; irides brownish hazel; general colour of the plumage like that of tanned leather; the middle of each feather darker; under parts inclined to cinnamon colour; cheeks and throat whitish ; most of the feathers with a blackish line down the shaft ; tail less forked than in the common kite; colour brown, banded with deeper brown ; legs yellow. This is common throughout Africa, especially in Caffraria, and the Grand Namaquas; called at the Cape, Kuyken-dief, which is also the name given by the Dutch to the common kite ; makes the nest both in trees and rocks; lays four eggs, spotted with rufous. The young have the end of the tail nearly even, which is also the case with the European species; and M. Leyail- lant supposes it to be the same with that bird. FALCON. 105 40.—ARABIAN KITE. Falco Forskalii, Ind. Orn.i. p. 20. Faun. Arab. p.vi. 1. Gm. Lin, i. 263, Dard. ii. . 150. . Shaw's Zool. vii. 178. Temm. Man. d’Orn. p. 19. Falco Egyptius, Gm. Lin. i. 261. .Arabian Kite, Gen.Syn.Sup. .p.34. SMALLER than the common Kite; length’'tS8in.; bill and cere ‘yellow; feathers of the head narrow, rufous-brown, dashed with black down the shafts; back and wing coverts cinereous, with brown shafts ; quills brown, within grey, banded with brown, the ends black ; tail the length of the body, and forked ; the wings, when closed, not reaching to the end of it. The feathers cinereous, banded with brown; legs yellow; shins half covered with feathers. Said to be common in Egypt, and other parts of Africa, where it sometimes migrates into Germany, but rarely breeds there; has also been met with in France:and Switzerland,: and may be considered .as no other than a yariety of the Black Kite. M.Temminck places it as a young bird of that species. ; VOL. I. P 106 FALCON. 41.—GOSHAWK. Falco palumbarius, Ind. Orn. i. p.29. Lin. 1.130. Gm. Lin. i. 269. Fn. Stee. iNo. 67. Raii Syn. p. 18.1. . Will. p. 51. t.3. & 5. Klein. Av. -p..50.i1. » Frisch; t. 81. 82, Georgi. 164. Gerin. Orn. i. t. 21.22. Daud. p.71.. Id..vol. i. p. 90. pl: 2. Sceleton. Beckst. Deuts. ii. 268. Shaw’s Zool, vii. p. 118. pl..20. . Tem. Mansid’ Orn. p. 30. Id. ed. 2. p. 53. Astur, Bris.i. 317. Id. 8vo.91. Cet.uc. Sard. 48. Zinn. Uov.t. 14. f. 77. Raja 230. pl.12 Pl. enl. 418. 461. Voy. en. Barb. i. 266. Epervier rayé, Voy. d’Azaraiii. No. 29. var.? ‘Grosser gepfeilter Falck, Frisch. i. 82. Falck. It. ii, t. 21. ‘Taubenhabicht, Naturf. viii. s. 54. Goshawk, Gen. Syn.i. p. 58. Id. Sup..p. 16. Br. Zool. No. 52. pl. 24. . Id. ed. 1812. i. p. 225. pl. 24 Arct. Zool. ii. No. 99. Bewick. pl. p.23. Lewin’s Birds i. pl. 9. Id. Eggs. pl.ii. f. 2. Alb.u.pl.8. Walcot Syni. pl.9. Wood's Zoogr.i. p- 395. pl. 17. Orn. Dict. & Sup. Amer. Orn. vi. pl. 52. jig. 3. ~ Ash-coloured,:or black- capped hawk. LARGER than the common buzzard, but of a more slender make; length 22in.; weight 3} pounds; bill blue, tip black ; cere greenish ; irides yellow; over the eye a white lime; on the side of the | neck a bed of broken white; head and upper part of the body deep brown; breast and under parts crossed with numerous black and white bars; tail cinereous, long, with four or five dusky bars; the wings reach three parts of the way on the tail; legs yellow ; claws black. In some specimens, the thighs have reddish feathers, marked with a black line down the shafts, and in those of the breast a black circular line near the tip, parallel to the edge, and in others the shafts and middle of the feathers are black. The female is larger than the male, and paler in colour, marked beneath with oval, dusky black spots. = FALCON. 107 Young birds incline to grey, and have the markings less clearly defined than in the adult. This species is not very common in England, nor does it breed here, but is more plentiful in Scotland, where it builds m trees, making the nest of sticks, lined with hay and feathers, and lays four white eggs in June; is a destructive species, bemg a great enemy to partridges and other birds. Is common in Denmark, throughout Russia and Siberia, about the lake Baikal, and is used by the Cal- mucs in falconry, as it was once here in England. It is by no means uncommon in America, but is larger than the European species, and the black markings on the under parts more numerous and elegant; known at Hudson’s Bay by the name of Komishark Papanasew, not unfrequent also in China and India, where the male is called Bauge or Baiz ;* the young male Mudge Jurra. The female named Jurra. It is used im India among others for falconry. A large white variety, mottled with brown and yellow, is some- times found about the Uralian mountais; most frequent in the east part of Siberia; and in Kamtschatka every individual is white, with searcely any spots, and such birds are reputedly the finest hunters ;+ indeed, a variety is sometimes found perfectly white, but this is very raré.t > _ In General Hardwicke’s drawings is a bird, which appears a large: variety of the Goshawk ; length 22in. and stout in make ; bill lead-colour; upper parts brown; head and neck behind darkish; over the eye a pale broad streak; through the eye a broad brown one; all beneath dusky white, crossed with numerous dusky lines; quills barred with dusky; tail ash-colour with four dusky bands; tip frmged with white; vent plain white; legs stout, yellow; claws black: Inhabits India; taken January, 1799. * One, by the natne of Batiz) used for the purpose of hovering over ducks, &c. which will not rise on such occasions.—Oriental Field Sports. V. ii. p. 67, t Arct. Zool. + Decouv. russ. ii. 303. P' 2 108 FALCON. The great love our ancestors* had for falconry is testified by ‘very many writers of former days, although now nearly left off, or at least followed only by a very. few, more as a matter of curiosity than otherwise. Not so in 1472, when a Goshawk. was thought a sufficient remuneration for most essential services, as may. be seen in the Paston Leétters,+ where we find, that this bird was not. always to be procured in this country, but more likely to be had at Calais, in France—yet it probably breeds in England, as it is known to do now in Scotland.. The history, laws, rules, and - observations on falconry: and faleoners, may be learned from Turbeville, Carcanus, Latham, and others, who have written on this: subject, as also may be seen in Willughby’s Ornithology, and other English authors. - To ascertam the owner of a hawk, a rmg-was put ‘over the closed claws, while young, with an inscription, and one of these is. represented in the Archeologia.t It is there observed, that although hawking is no longer considered as one of our-field sports, yet, in most of the modern leases, a clause is generally still found, reservmg to the landlord the free liberty-of hunting, hawking, fowling, &c. During the time when falconry was. the recreation of those who could bear the expense:of the sport, the birds used on the occasion were much valued;§ and I have now before me a London Gazette, Thursday, April 21 ‘to 25, 1581, .in which is the followmg adver- tisement: <“‘ Lost on the 5th instant of his Majesties, a Tarsell Gentle, with the King’s Varvels on, the hind pounce of the field foot lost. Lost between Hounslow Heath and Eaidenhead—who- * Hawking, used by the Anglo-Saxons-—See an old print to this purport in Strutt’s View of the Customs and Manners of the Inhabitants of England, vol.i. p.12—from Tid. B. v. a Saxon Calendar. 4 + Vol.ii. p. 109. ‘+ Vol. xii. p. 414. pl. 51. f. 7. § In the Mem. d’ Agriculture, §c. it is mentioned, that a Falcon of the King of France was let loose at a woodcock, in-Paris. They flew-to Malta, and were both found dead there within twenty-four hours. FALCON. 109 ever can give notice of this Hawk-to Mr. Chiflinch at the Privy stairs, Whitehall, shall have a good. reward.” Hawks ‘sovcalled, and Girfalcon or Girfal, were formerly in great request; of these the white ones were in most esteem, and part of the revenue in the time of King Henry I..and afterwards, was paid by way of fine; for mstance, Outi, of Lincoln, fined in one hundred Norway Hawks and 100 Girfals; four of the Hawks and six of the Girfals to be white ones. . If he could not. get four white hawks, he was to give four white Girfals instead of them; again, Ralf, son of Drogo, in. five Hawks and five Girfalcons for himself, and im two Hawks for. Nicolas de Sigillo, &e. &c.* The privilege, however, of Hawking seems to be confined to the higher ranks,+ and each had his apppropriate species allowed to him. It may not be amiss here to: mention the gradations of rank to which particular hawks were appropriated, about the 14th century, VizZ.— ‘“‘ Three: Hawkys longyn to‘an Emperour, that is to say, an Egkyl, a Watour, a Millon, neither lured nor redaymyd for hem. “ Ther ben hawkes of Tower,. that is to say, a Gerefaucone, and a Tarsenlet of the same for a Kynge. «A -Faucon reytyll,t -a,Tarselett thereof for a Prince. «© A Faucone of the Rock, a‘Tarselett thereof for a Duke.» ‘* A.Faucon Peregryne, a Tarselett thereof for a Lorde § | ‘©’'There-is a Bastarde, and that Hawke is for a Baron... ‘“A Sakyr, and a Sakyret, for a Knygth. * Madox’s Historyof the Exchequer, Nol.i.p.273. ~ + Among the figures of the very antient font, in Winchester Cathedral, -is a personage, . with a hawk on his fist, well figured in Vetust. Monum.Y.ii. pl. 39. 40. of whom it is merely said, that-one.of the attendants, with a hawk ‘on his ‘fist, is expressive of his office, and may be one of the officers of the court. But Milner rather thinks, that the hawk, held in this - manner, proves the personage to be of noble birth.—See Survey of Winchester, -vol.iie p. 79» - ¢ In an old printed Edition of the Work it is Gentyll.. § Foran Earl the same, . 110 FALCON. «« A Layner, and a Laynerett, for a Sqwyer. «A Lese of Marlyans, for a Lady. «A Hoby, or a Caselett of the same, for Gentilman of the first Hede. « A Gose Hawke, for a Yoman. «