Guiana of Mend. F. urubitinga of Linné. F. ornatus of Daud.; superbus et coronatus of Shaw. Gen. 6. Cymindis of Cuvier, virdi-Beak like the preceding; tarsi very short, reticulated and half covered with feathers before; wings shorter than the tail; but the most distinctive character consists in the nostrils being nearly shut like chink. Falco Cayennensis of Gmelin. Gen. 7. Astur of Bechstein.-Dædalion of Savigny. They have the wings shorter than the tail, like the three preceding genera, but their beak is curved to the base. Falco palumbarius gallinarius. Cuvier considers it probable that the F. gryfalco and the F. gentilis may belong to the first species. Gen. 8. Nisus of Cuvier.-Wings with the same proportions as the preceding genus, but they have the tarsi escutcheoned and more elevated. Falco nisus. F. musicus of Daud. Family 4. MILVI of Bechstein.—Alis longissimis. The kites have the tarsi short, the toes and talons feeble, which, added to a beak unequally apporhioned to its size, compose an assemblage of genera the most loose of their kind; but they are distinguished by wings excessively long, and by the forked tail which gives to their flight the greatest apidity and ease. Gen. 1. Elanus of Savigny.-Tarsis curtis. The elani have the tarsi very short and demi-feathered above. Le Blac of Vaillant. Africa. About the size of a common sparrow-hawk, with a soft and silky plumage; tail somewhat forked; ash-colored above; white beneath; the lesser wing coverts are black. Common from Egypt to the Caspian. F. furcatus. Gen. 2. Milvus.-Have the tarsi very strong and escutcheoned. Falco milvus. Gen. 3. Pernis of Cuvier.-They have, with the feeble beak of the kite, a remarkable character, that is, the interval between the eye and the bill, which in other falcons is naked, and furnished only with a few hairs, is found in this genus covered with very compact feathers which are cut into scales. Their tarsi are covered with feathers half way down, and reticulated; they have the rest of the tail equal, the wings long, the beak curved at the base as all those which follow. Falco apivorus. F. bondrée huppee of Ja Gen. 4. Buteo of Bechstein.-Wings long, the tail equal, the bill curved at its base, tarsi feathered nearly to the toes. Falco pinnatus. F. buteo. Division II.-NOCTURNI.-Striges: acie directa. The owls have, besides other characters drawn from the size of the head, large eyes which are surrounded by a circle of hackled feathers; the pupil so large that it allows the sun's rays to dim the eyesight. Their cranium is thick, but of a light texture, and has large cavities which communicate with the ear and probably augment the sense of hearing. But the apparatus for flying is not very much calculated for effecting an extraordinary force; the forked bone is incapable of much resistance; their feathers have soft vanes covered with delicate down, so that they do not make the least noise in flight. Their gizzard is very muscular, although their prey is entirely animal, consisting in mice, small birds, &c., it is preceded by a large crop. The cœca are long and divided at the bottom. Divided into genera according to their crests or horns, the size of their ears, the extent of the circle of feathers about their eyes, and some other characters. Gen. 1. Otus of Cuvier.-This genus is composed of owls that have two crests of feathers upon their forehead which they elevate at pleasure. The ear extends from the beak in a semicircular form to the top of the head, and is furnished before with a membraneous operculum. Strix ascalaphus of Savigny; hibou of Cuvier. The common character of the passeres is purely negative; for it embraces all those birds which are neither swimmers, waders, climbers, rapacious, nor gallinaceous. Yet, upon comparison, we presently perceive a great resemblance of structure between them; but such a multitude of particulars enter into the composition of this similitude that it is not practicable to embody it in words so that the terms may be clear and striking. They have not the violence of the birds of prey, nor the determinate diet of the gallinaceous fowls or of the water-fowl. Insects, fruit, grain, by turns, furnish them with nourishment; the grain so much more exclusively as their bill is thick; those which have that instrument thin and slender feed on insects, whilst those which have it strong pursue the small birds. Their stomach is in form of a muscular gizzard; they have in general two very small cœcal appendages. Among these birds we meet with the songsters, and those which have the inferior larynx of the greatest complexity. Their sternum has commonly only one notch on each side of its inferior edge, yet it has two among the rollers; but it is entirely wanting in the martlets and the trochili. We Lanius plumatus. L. pipra albifrons. Gen. 7. Ocypterus. Bill conical, rounded on every part, without crest, scarcely arched at the tip, with a very fine point; slightly notched on each side. Feet rather short, and the wings as long or longer than the tail, which gives them the same flight as swallows. Lanius leucorhynchus of Gmelin. Gen. 8. Barita of Cuvier.-The name of an unknown bird, importing something relative to weight. The barita has the bill conical, round at its base, parting the feathers of the forehead by a circular notch; dorsum round, compressed at its sides, with a hooked point, notched laterally. Coracias varia of Gmelin; gracula varia of Shaw. C. strepera of Latham. Paradisea viridis. Gen 9. Psaris of Cuvier.-Name of an unknown bird, formed from falow, to shave, expressive of its swimming or swallow-like flight. Bill conical, very large, and round at its base, but not forming a notch in the front of the head. Its tip is slightly compressed and hooked. Lanius cayanus of Gmelin. Gen. 10. Grauculus, Greek name of an ash-colored bird. Bill less compressed than in the lanius; its upper mandible is sharp, evenly arched in its whole length; its commissure is somewhat more arched; the feathers which sometimes cover their nostrils give them a certain relationship to the crow; but the notch in their bills separates them widely from that genus. Three or four species of this genus are of an ash-color, which thus far makes good the meaning of the name being formed by a metalepsis from γλαυκος. Corvus papuensis of Gmelin. Gen. 11. Bethyllus of Cuvier.-Name of an unknown bird. Bill thick, short, embulked in every part; slightly compressed towards the end. Lanius ceverianus of Shaw; picatus of Latham. Group 2. Tanagræ of Linné. Bill strong, triangular at its base, slightly arched at its ridge, notched towards the end; wings and flight short; remarkable for their colors. Todus macrorhynchus of Latham, T. platorhynchus. Gen. 3. Muscicapa of Cuvier.-Bill straighter, and the mustachios shorter than in the muscipeta ; but it is still more depressed, with ridge well marked above; edges straight, somewhat hooked at the point. M. grisola of Gmelin. M. atricapilla. This bird was well known to the ancients under the names of sycalis (ovxaλis, from oveŋ, a fig), and ficedula (ficus and edo). Gen. 4. Gymnocephalus of Geoffroy-Nearly with the bill of the tyrannus, except that the ridge is rather more arched; and a great portion of their face is stripped of its feathers. Corvus cabrus of Gmelin. Cayenne. Gen. 5. Cephaloptera of Geoffroy.-Base of the bill furnished with elevated feathers, which, spreading above, produce a broad tuft in form of a parasol. C. ornatus of Geoffroy, about the size of a jay. America. Gen. 6. Gymnoderus of Geoffroy (yvuvos, bare, and depa, neck).-Bill somewhat stronger than the ampelis, but the neck is in part naked, and the head is covered with velvet feathers. Gracula nudicallis; St. Corvus nudus; gracula fetida of Gmelin. Gen. 7. Edolius of Cuvier.-Related to the long series of catchflies; bill depressed, and notched at the end; its upper ridge distinct; distinguished by their mandibles, which are slightly arched their whole length; nostrils covered with feathers; they have besides some long hairs, which constitute their whiskers. Lanius forficatus of Gmelin. L. Malabaricus. Cuculus Paradisens Le drongo bronze. |