t î'
14 IN T R O D U C TO R Y R EM A R K S .
Various difficulties also attended the preservation of the skins when col-
lected; and we have to regret that, from the length of time which elapsed
before they reached England, so much injury has in many instances accrued
to the specimens as to prevent an accurate decision respecting their characters.
The number of species described, which is strictly limited to such as from
their good condition afford distinctive characters, will consequently be no
adequate criterion of the extent of the subjects actually collected, or of the
active exertions of the collectors.
The most important part of the following observations is that supplied by the
officers of the expedition from their notes on the comparative anatomy of many
of the species. Information of this nature is so v a l u a b l e , and so seldom afforded
to the home naturalist, who rarely has more than the superficies of a subject
to work upon, that we cannot sufficiently praise the practice in this respect ot
our present voyagers, or hold it out with sufficient earnestness as an example
to others similarly cirenmstaneed. For the liberal and friendly feelings with
which information on every subject connected with my department of the
present undertaking has been communieated to me by every officer connected
with the expedition. I have to express my warm acknowledgments.
O r d e r I . RA PTORE S.
F am. F A L C O N ID ^ .
P o L Y B O R U S V U L G A R IS . VieilL, Gal. des Ois. tom. \..p .2 ^ .p l. 7.
Milvus Brasiliensis, Caracara dictus i* Ray, Syn. A v . p . 17.
Polyborus Brasiliensis. King, Zool. Journ. vol. 3. p . 423.
T h is spe c ie s a p p e a r s to h a v e a ve ry e x te n s iv e r a n g e o n b o th s id e s o f th e S o u th A m e ric a n
co n tin e n t. I t is ve ry d o u b tfu l w h e th e r th e spe c ie s is th e s am e a s th e Caracara o r ig in a lly d e s c r ib e d by
M a r c g r a v e (H i s t . B r a z . p . l l l . J , a n d th e d e s c r ip tio n o f w h ic h is copied from h im b y R a y as q u o te d
ab o v e , a lth o u g h w r ite r s in g e n e r a l c o n s id e r th em a s id e n tic a l. M a r c g r a v e ’s d e s c r ip tio n , i f a c c u r a te ,
w h ich is n o t a lw a y s th e c a s e , in d ic a te s a v e ry diffe ren t sp e c ie s .
A c c i p i t r r VE LO X .
Falco velox. Wilson, Am. Orn. vol. 5. p . 116. pi. 45. / . 1.—Prince o f Musignano,
Syn. p . 29. sp. 14.
Falco Pennsylvanicus. Wils., Am. Orn. vol. 6. p . 13./)/. 4 6 ./. 1.
Autour ^ bee sinueox. Temm., PI. Col. 67.
F a l c o s p a r v e r i u s . Linn., Syst. Nat. vol. \.p .X 2 S . sp .2 0.— Wils., Am. Orn.vol.A.
p . 57. pi. 3 2 ./. 2.— Prince o f Musignano, Syn. p . 27. sp. 10.
Little Falcon. Penn., Arct. Z o o l.vo l.2 . p . 2 \ \ . sp.MQ.
Emerillon de Cayenne. Buff., PI. Enl. 444.
T h is sp e c ie s w a s fo u n d a t M o n te re y .
B u t e o b o r e a l i s .
Falco borealis. Lath., Ind. Orn. p . 25. sp. 50— Wils., Am. Orn. vol. 6. p. 75.
p i. 52. / . 1.— Prince o f Musignano, Syn. p . 32. sp. 20.
Falco Leveiianus. Wils., Am. Orn. vol. Q.p. 7 8 .p i. 5 2 ./. 2.
L’Autour ^ queue roussc. VieilL, Ois. de VAm. Sept. tom. 1. p . 43. pi. 14 bis.
Red-tailed Falcon. Penn., Arct. Zool. vol. 2 .p . 205. sp. 100.
B u t e o v u l g a r i s . Ray.
Falco Buteo. Linn., Syst. Nat. vol. 1. p . 127, sp. 15
Buzzard. Penn., Brit. Zool. vol. 1. sp.54. t. 25.
La Buse. Buff., PL Enl. 419.
F am. S T R IG ID jF .
B u b o V i r g i n i a n u s . B r is s .,to m .l.p .‘^ i . s p . 2 .
Strix Virginiana. Lath., Ind. Orn. p . 52. sp. 2.
Virginian Eagle Owl. Edw.,t.QO.
A fem a le sp e c im en w a s k ille d a t S a n F ra n c is c o . M r . C o llie in fo rm s u s , th a t “ be fore it w a s shot,
which w a s in th e d a y tim e , i t w a s a tte n d e d by a n um b e r o f d iffe re n t b ird s , th a t w e re s a id to c a r ry