ACCIPITRES. 249 



feathers is smaller, and less perfect than in the Bubo, Cuv. Their 

 relations to the diurnal birds of prey are very evident, even in their 

 habits. 



Some of them are remarkable for along, cuneiform tail, and have 

 the toes thickly clothed with feathers; they are the Surnia, Dumer. 

 It appears that there exist in all the North some closely allied spe- 

 cies or varieties, but imperfectly distinguished under the names of 

 Str.funerea, hudsonia, uralensis, accipitrina, &:c. 



The best known species, Sir. nisoria, Wolf.; Enl. 473;Naum. 

 42. 2, from the north of the whole globe, is about the size of 

 the Sparrowhawk; blackish brown above, with small white 

 spots on the head, which form transverse bars on the scapulars; 

 transversely striped with brown and white beneath, with ten 

 transverse white lines on the tail. It hunts more during the 

 day than the night. 



The species from the Uralian mountains, Stt: uralensis, Pall. 

 Naum. 42, 1, is nearly as large as the Harfang; brown, with white 

 spots, above; white, with long brown spots, beneath; five trans- 

 verse grey bands on the tail. It also hunts during the day, and 

 is sometimes seen in Germany. It is probably the Hyhris or 

 Ptynx of Aristotle, 1. ix, c. 12. 



The species, called of Acadia, Str. acadica, Naum. 43, f. 1 

 and 2; Wils. Am. IV, xxxiv, 1, is also sometimes found there, 

 but it belongs to the whole north of the globe. It is the small- 

 est of the Ululse, and is hardly larger than the Common Finch. 

 It does not fear the light of day, but Vaillant has described one 

 of these- Surnise from Africa, (Choucou, No. xxxviii,) all white 

 beneath, with fourteen or fifteen lines on the tail, and which, 

 according to his account, is more nocturnal than the other 

 Ulul. 

 There are other Noctuae which have a short tail and feathered 

 toes. The largest, and in fact the largest of all the nocturnal birds 

 without tufts, is 



Sir. nycteja, L. ; Le Harfang, Enl. 458; Wils. IV, xxxii, 1; 

 Naum. 41. (The Snowy Owl.) This bird almost equals the 

 Grand Due in size. Its snow-white plumage is marked with 

 transverse brown spots, which disappear with age. It inhabits 

 the north of both continents, builds upon high rocks, and pur- 

 sues Hares, Grouse, &c.(l) 

 There are some smaller species, such as 



Sir. tengmalmi, Gm.; Str. dasypus, Bechst.; Naum. 48, f. 2 



(1) The Chouette blanche, Vaill. Afric. 45, is only an old Harfang. The alleged 

 difference in the proportions depends upon the stuffing. 

 Vol. I. 2 G 



