622 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — RAPTORES — STRIGES. 



family to be called Aluconidce, instead of Strigidce; which latter name is to be applied to the 

 succeeding fiimily. The Linnseau genus Strix, 1758, which included all Owls, was first di- 

 vided in 17(J0 by Brisson, who made ^'. stridula the type of his restricted genus; consequently, 

 Strix cannot be used for the Barn Owls. The first tenable name for the genus of which the 

 Barn Owl is type is Alnco Fleming, Phil. Zool. ii, 1822, p. 236. S. aluco Linn. 1758, p. 93, 

 No. 6, is the European Barn Owl, commonly called S. Jiammea, though S. aluco LiNN. 1766, 



p. 132, No. 7, is S. stri- 

 dula : see Newton, Ibis, 

 1876, pp. 94-104, and Diet. 

 B, 1894, p. 673. On re- 

 viewing tlie whole case, I 

 find that Newton is indis- 

 putably right, according to 

 A. 0. U. canons of nomen- 

 clature ; and the A. 0. U. 

 Checlv List violates its own 

 rules in calling the present 

 f a m i 1 y Strigidce. A lu co - 

 nid(E must stand as name 

 of this family, as in 2d-4th 

 cds. of Key. 



ALU'CO. (Ital. allocco or 

 alocho, some kind of Owl, 

 ]>erhaps the European Barn 

 Owl, A. flammeus. As a 

 Latin word, Aluco dates 

 1.503, in Gaza's Aristotle; 

 as a genus in ornithology 

 it dates from Fleming, 

 1828. Figs. 47, 426.) 

 Barn Owls. To al)ove 

 characters add : Wings 

 very long, pointed, folding 

 beyond tail ; 1st or 2(1 pri- 

 mary longest, none emargi- 

 nate. Tail short, nearly 

 even or emarginate, about 

 i as long as wing. Tarsus 

 nearly twice as long as mid- 

 dle toe without claw, closely feathered, the plumage becoming scant and bristly below^, like 

 that on the nearly naked toes, and reversed in direction on the posterior aspect ; claws ex- 

 tremely long and acute (see fig. 47). Bill lengthened, compressed ; cere nearly as long as 

 rest of culmen ; nostrils oval ; no plumicorns ; eyes comparatively small, black ; ears very 

 large; bill light-colored; plumage flagrant, not dichromatic and of peculiarly delicate texture 

 as well as special pattern of coloration ; the subtriangular or somewhat cordate figure of the 

 facial area variable in form at the pleasure of the bird ; size medium. One North American 

 species or subspecies, among several which inhabit collectively most parts of the world. 

 Others, more distinct from the stock form, A. flammeus, are A. novce-hoUandice, and A. tene- 

 bricosa, both Australian ; A. castanops, Tasmanian ; A. capensis, S. African; A. Candida, 

 Indian. (Genus Strix of the A. 0. U. Lists, by error : see above.) 



Fig. 42G. — Barn Owl 



Brelim. ) 



' From yonder ivy-mantled tower, 

 The moping owl does to the moon complain 

 01 such, as wand'ring near her secret bower, 

 Molest her ancient solitary reign." — Gray. 



