FALCONID2E, a family of raptorial birds, comprising the sub-families Gypaetinee (lammer geiers), Polyborinee (carrion-hawlcs and 'cites), Accipitrine (hawks), Buteoninee (buzzards), Aquiline (eagles), and Falconine (f alcons). They are all remarkable for strong and sharply hooked bills, with a distinct cere, usually fleshy; and most of them have sharp and power ful 'talons, designed to seize, kill and tear to pieces the living prey upon which most of them subsist. In the eagles and falcons these char acters are iieveloped in the highest degree. The tarsus is usually more or less. feathered, in some cases down to the very toes, which are arranged three in front and one behind and are exceed ingly strong and tenacious. There is a pro jection over the eyebrows except in the ospreys, which gives an appearance to the eyes of being very.deeply set in the orbits. These birds range in size from the mighty lammergeier to the falconets, hardly bigger than sparrows. The female is usually decidedly larger than the male and upon her falls the burden of the sup port of the young. The tribe is represented in all climates, even to the remote north, but is most numerous in the tropics, while some species are nearly costnopolitan. Many migrate, but
few show any tendency toward flocking. The color of the plumage frequently differs much in the young from that of the full-grown birds and as their first plumage is retained for some time, this has caused more species to be enumerated than really exist. Plain tints rule, but white and black are often strilcingly displayed and a few species present a considerable variety of colors. Theit voice is limited as a rule to screaming cries, but a few utter somewhat melodious notes. The nests of all are rude structures, placed in trees, on rock-cliffs, on the ground or in some hole. The eggs are few in number — one to five as a rule—and are laid much earlier in the year than is the case with birds generally; and they and the young are well cared for and ably defended by the par ents. The sport of falconry (q.v.) took its name from employing certain of these birds in the chase.