. Key to North American birds; containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary. Illustrated by 6 steel plates and upwards of 250 woodcuts. Birds. Bald Eagle. c^y 165. Genus POLYBORUS Vieillot. Caracara Buzzard. Biil long, high, compressed, little hooked, commis- sure nearly straight to the deflected end ; nostrils linear, oblique, in the front upper corner of the cere, which is truncate and bristly ; sides of head extensively denuded ; occipital feathers lengthened ; 3d and 4th c
. Key to North American birds; containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary. Illustrated by 6 steel plates and upwards of 250 woodcuts. Birds. Bald Eagle. c^y 165. Genus POLYBORUS Vieillot. Caracara Buzzard. Biil long, high, compressed, little hooked, commis- sure nearly straight to the deflected end ; nostrils linear, oblique, in the front upper corner of the cere, which is truncate and bristly ; sides of head extensively denuded ; occipital feathers lengthened ; 3d and 4th cjuill longest, 1st shorter than 7th; outer 4-5 emarginate ; tarsus almost naked, longer than middle toe. Brownish-black, barred on the iieck, breast and most of the upper parts, with yellowish-white; auriculars whitish; tail whitish, narrowly black-barred and with broad black terminal zone; primaries like- wise barred with whitish; feet yellow; bill greenish-white. Length 23; wing 15-17; tail about 10. Southern border, Florida to California; a remarkable form, allied in some respects to the vultures. Aud., i, 21, pi. 4; NuTT., i, 52; Cass, in Bd., 45; Coop., 492. tiiarus var. audubonii. Family CATHARTIDiE. American Vultures. Head, and part of the neck, more or less completely bare of feathers ; ej^es flush with the side of the head, not overshadowed by a superciliary shield; ears small and simple. Bill lengthened, contracted toward the base, moderatelj' hooked aud comparatively weak. Nostrils very large, completely perforated, through lack of a bony septum. Wings very long, ample and strong; tail moderate. Anterior toes long for the order, webbed at base ; hind toe elevated, verjr short; claws compara- tively lengthened, obtuse, little curved and weak. To these external characters, which distinguish our vultures, I may add, that there are numerous osteological peculiarities. A lower larynx is not developed. The capacious gullet dilates into an immense crop. The coeca are extrem
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1872
