| OCR Text |
Show 167 GENUS URUBITINGA, LESSON. rnMnga LESSON, Rev. Zool. 1839, 1: 12. No type!- LAFRESNAYE, D'Orb. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. ii, 1842, 786. Typo, Falco urubitinga GMF. L. Efpomorphnus CABANIS, Weigua. Archiv, 1844, 263. Type, H. gundlachi CABAX. Hypmorphinut GRAY, 1845. Same type. Cn.- Outstretched feet reaching to or beyond the end of the tail; tarsus more than twice the middle toe, which is not conspicuously longer than the lateral toes, the scutellation buteonine. Secondaries greatly developed, reaching nearly or quite to the end of the longest primaries. Remiges 24- 23; rectrices 12. Superior tomium of the bill with a distinct lobe; anterior outline of • the. cere donbly curved, convex above, concave or straight and oblique below. Nostril very broadly oval, or nearly circular ( if the former, of horizontal direction), showing, normally, a distinct cartilaginous tubercle. Outer toe more than three-fourths as long as the middle one, and decidedly, though not conspicuously, longer than the inner; posterior toe decidedly shorter than the inner. Claws normal in shape and graduation, the longest one ( first) not longer than its digit. Tarsal scutellte arranged in continuous single series of large transverse plates on the front and posterior faces, and those of the toes uninterrupted nearly or quite to the base. Plumage generally full, the remiges well developed, especially the secondaries, which extend nearly or quite to the ends of the primaries. Under surface of the wing very concave; inner webs of the primaries very shallowly sinuated, the number on which the cutting is apparent rather indefinite, but apparently varying from six to tfven. Third, fourth, fifth, and sixth quills longest, the fourth or fifth usually exceeding the others. Tail moderate, more than half the wing, "• en, or very slightly rounded. The characters of this genus are quite difficult to define, but consist chiefly in those enumerated above. The genus is most closely related to Leitcopternis, which, however, tfe consider distinct, at least subge-nerically, on account of important differences to be noticed under the head of that genus. The pterylosis of Urubitinga presents many points of resemblance to that of the Morphni ( Thrasaetus and Morphnus), and it is likely that the genus is in other respects intermediate between the latter sroup and the true Buteones ; the resemblance is especially great in the * ings, the secondaries having a similar excessive development, while the shallow sinuation of an indefinite number of primaries is another point of agreement. According to Nitzsch, the pterylosis is peculiar on aeconnt ofthenarrowuess of all the tracts; the jugular portion of the inferior tract with a very narrow inner branch, and united to the pectoral stem by a single row of feathers, the outer branch quite free, but narrow, with a hook of a single row of feathers at its extremity; the main stem somewhat dilated at its extremity. The lumbar tract is perceptible. Besides the Falco urubitinga of Gmelin and the Falco anthracinus of Uchtenstein, the Asturina schistacea of Sundevall may be regarded as a typical member of this genus. There are also two other species which probably belong here, viz, Hypomorphnm gundlachi Cabanis and Leu-wpternis plumbea Salvin; but, as we have seen neither of these species, * e include them here provisionally only. The former of these is almost Wainly a true Urubitinga, since it is so nearly related to U. anthracina that Mr. Sharpe considers them identical specifically. |
