STRIX. screech-owl. 47I 



which is considerably longer than the fourth. Claws long, 

 moderately curved, tapering, extremely acute, rounded above, 

 convex laterally, very narrow and grooved beneath, that of the 

 second toe longest, the inner dilated thin edge of the third cut 

 transversely or serrated. 



Plumage extremely full, soft, and downy. Two very large, 

 complete, facial disks, composed of circular series of slender, 

 slightly recurved feathers, having distant filaments. Cere 

 covered on the sides with bristles concealing the nostrils. Mar- 

 gining the conch externally is a beautiful and perfect ruff, of 

 several series of linear-oblong curved feathers, having the fila- 

 ments loose, unless toward the end. The feathers of the narrow 

 frontal space are concealed by those of the disks and ruff. The 

 feathers in general are oblong, elongated, very downy ; on the 

 wings shorter and more compact ; on the tarsi very short and 

 downy, on the toes generally reduced to the shafts. Wings 

 long, very broad, of twenty-five quills, which are rounded, and 

 all entire on the margins ; the outer with the external fila- 

 ments free and recurved, the second longest, the first and third 

 slightly shorter. Tail short, decurved, even, of twelve broad, 

 rounded, rather weak feathers. 



The extreme lightness of the birds of this genus compared 

 with their bulk, renders their flight in the highest degree buoy- 

 ant, insomuch that it assumes a character of unsteadiness. In 

 descending upon their prey, they must employ a mode consi- 

 derably different from that of the heavy-bodied Falcons, which 

 drop headlong almost with the velocity of a stone. The soft- 

 ness of their plumage renders their flight noiseless, and they 

 are thus enabled to steal unawares upon the quarry until with- 

 in a distance at which they can pounce with certainty. It is 

 perhaps owing to this circumstance that the tails of owls in 

 general are very short and narrow compared with those of 

 Hawks, which, having a more rapid flight, and being heavier, 

 require an instrument to enable them to perform sudden devi- 

 ations, and to break their fall, when they come upon their prey. 

 The Screech-Owls have, when at rest, an amusing aspect of gra- 

 vity, which degenerates into grotcsqueness when apprehension 

 of danger or curiosity induces them to examine the approaching 



