href="#_11.jpg"/>Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Plate 127
Finches
Family I
Vulturinæ. Vulturine Birds or Vultures
Bill of moderate length, stout, cerate; upper mandible with the tip elongated and decurved; lower mandible rounded and thin-edged at the end. Head rather small, or of moderate size, ovato-oblong, and with part of the neck destitute of feathers. Eyes of moderate size, without projectg ridges.
External aperture of ears rather small and simple. Skin over the fore part of the neck bare or merely downy.
California Condor
Gymnogyps californianus
Plate 426
Vullturine Bird
Tarsus rather stout, bare, and shorter than the middle toe, hind toe much smaller than the second; anterior toes connected at the base by a web; claws large, moderately curved, rather acute. Plumage full and rather compact. Wings very long, and subacuminate. Oesophagus excessively wide, and dilated into a crop; stomach rather large, somewhat muscular, with a soft rugous epithelium; intestine of moderate length and width, coeca extremely small. The young when fledged have the head and upper part of the neck generally covered with down. Eggs: commonly two.
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Plate 151
Vullturine Bird
Family II
Falconinæ. Falcons
Bill short, stout, cerate; upper mandible with the tip elongated and decurved; lower mandible rounded and thin edged at the end. Head rather large, broadly ovate, feathered. Eyes large, with prominent superciliary ridges. External aperture of ears of moderate size, and simple. Tarsus longer than the middle toe; claws very large, much curved, extremely acute. Plumage full and generally compact.
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Plate 11
Falconine Birds
Wings very long and broad. Oesophagus excessively wide and dilated into a crop; stomach large, membranous, its muscular fasciculi placed in a single series; intestine short and rather wide, or very long and slender. The young, when fledged, generally having their lower parts longitudinally streaked. Eggs: from two to six, ovate, or round. Nest on trees, rocks, or the ground.
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Plate 31
Falconine Birds
Family III
Striginæ. Owls
Bill very short, strong, cerate; upper mandible with the tip elongated and decurved; lower mandible with the end rounded and thin edged. Head extremely large, owing to the wide separation of the tables of the cranium, rounded, more or less vertically flattened behind, feathered. Eyes excessively large, with prominent superciliary ridges, and encircled by series of decomposed feathers.
Great horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Plate 61
Owls
External aperture of ear always very large, frequently excessive, simple or operculate. Tarsus short, very short, or of moderate length, always feathered, as are the toes, of which the outer is versatile, the first shorter than the second, the anterior free; claws very long slender, curved, extremely acute. Plumage very full and soft. Wings long, broad, rounded, the second, third, and fourth quills longest, the filaments of the outer more or less enlarged and recurved at the end.
Great Grey Owl
Strix nebulosa
Plate 351
Owls
Tail broad, rather short or of moderate length, of twelve feathers. Oesophagus very wide, without crop or dilatation; stomach very large, round, membranous, its muscular fasciculi placed in a single series; intestine short and wide. Young at first covered with light coloured down, when fledged, with the face darker than that of adults. Eggs: white, somewhat globular or broadly ovate, from four to six. Nests rudely constructed, in hollow trees, on branches, in buildings, or on the ground.
Common-Barn-Owl
Tyto alba
Plate 171
Owls
Family IV
Caprimulginæ. Goatsuckers
Mouth opening to beneath the centre of the eyes; bill much depressed, generally feeble, the horny part being small; upper mandible with the tip somewhat decurved. Nostrils, elliptical, prominent, marginate. Eyes extremely large. Aperture of ear elliptical, very large. Head of extreme breadth, depressed; body very slender. Feet very small; tarsus partially feathered, scaly; anterior toes webbed at the base; hind toe small, and versatile, all scutellate above; claw of third toe generally elongated, with the inner margin thin and pectinate.
Chuck-Willis-Widow
Caprimulgus carolinensis
Plate 52
Goatssuckers
Plumage very soft and blended. Wings very large, the second and third quills longest. Tail long, of ten feathers. Oesophagus rather wide, without crop; stomach very large, rounded, its muscular coat very thin, and composed of a single series of strong fasciculi; epithelium very hard; intestine short and wide. Trachea of nearly uniform width, without inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the ground, or in hollow trees. Eggs: generally two. Young covered with down. Very nearly allied in some respects to owls.
Whip-poor-will
