NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. LAND BIRDS. VOL. III. [Plate: PARAKEET. (Conurus carolinensis.) Adult.] A HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS BY S. F. BAIRD, T. M. BREWER, AND R. RIDGWAY LAND BIRDS _ILLUSTRATED BY 64 PLATES AND 593 WOODCUTS_ VOLUME III. [Illustration] BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1905 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A. CONTENTS. PAGE Family STRIGIDÆ. The Owls 4 Family FALCONIDÆ. The Falcons 103 Subfamily FALCONINÆ 106 Family CATHARTIDÆ. The American Vultures 335 Family COLUMBIDÆ. The Pigeons 357 Subfamily COLUMBINÆ 357 Subfamily ZENAIDINÆ 374 Family CRACIDÆ. The Curassows 397 Subfamily PENELOPINÆ 397 Family MELEAGRIDIDÆ. The Turkeys 402 Family TETRAONIDÆ. The Grouse 414 Family PERDICIDÆ. The Partridges 466 Subfamily ORTYGINÆ 466 APPENDIX. I. Additions and Corrections 499 II. Explanation of Terms used in describing the External Form of Birds 524 III. Glossary of Technical Terms 535 INDEX OF ENGLISH NAMES. INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES. INDEX TO THE PLATES. PLATES 57–64. NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. RAPTORES.[1]—THE BIRDS OF PREY. The group of birds usually known as the _Raptores_, or Rapacious Birds, embraces three well-marked divisions, namely, the Owls, the Hawks, and the Vultures. In former classifications they headed the Class of Birds, being honored with this position in consequence of their powerful organization, large size, and predatory habits. But it being now known that in structure they are less perfectly organized than the _Passeres_ and _Strisores_, birds generally far more delicate in organization, as well as smaller in size, they occupy a place in the more recent arrangements nearly at the end of the Terrestrial forms. The complete definition of the order _Raptores_, and of its subdivisions, requires the enumeration of a great many characters; and that their distinguishing features may be more easily recognized by the student, I give first a brief diagnosis, including their simplest characters, to be followed by a more detailed account hereafter.