psEUDorTYxx. 249 



Order STRIGIFORMES. 



OWLS. 



Head large and round; ])ill strongly hooked and with a cere which i? 

 more or less hidden hv stiffish bristles; eyes large, directed forward, each 

 surrounded by a more or less perfect ruff of modified, ' close-textured 

 feathers; in most species a bunch of elongate erectile feathers above each 

 eye forming the so-called horns or ear-tufts; feet €trong, claws curved 

 and sharj) ; outer toe reversible ; plumage soft and fluffy ; colors generally 

 various shades of brown, gray, and rufous and in most species vermic- 

 ulated and streaked, the plumage resembling that of the Capri mulgidce; 

 habits nocturnal, or crepuscular, and insectivorous; eggs white, nearly 

 globular, usually deposited in a hole in a hollow branch or trunk of a tree, 

 or in a deserted hawk's nest. 



Families. 



a}. Claw of middle toe not pectinate; middle toe longer than inner toe. 



Strigidae (p. 249) 



a'. Claw of middle toe pectinate on inner margin; inner and middle toes about 



equal in lengtli Aluconidae (p. 271) 



V Family STRIGID^. 



Characters same as tbose given in tlie key to Families. 



Hubfamilifs. 



a^. Ear-conch not larger than eye and without an operculum; portion of facial 



disk below the eye greater than the area above the eye.... Buboninae ( p. 249) 



o". Ear-conch nuich larger than eye and with a large operculum; facial disk distinct 



and extending as far above as below the eye StriginSfe (p. 270) 



Subfamily BUBONINAE. 



Genera. ^^ 



0^ Toes without bristles. 



b^. Larger; wing, 230 mm. or more, but relatively shorter, falling short of the 



end of tail '. Pseudoptynx (p. 249) 



b-. Smaller; wing, 220 mm. or less, but relatively longer, when folded reaching 



nearly or quite to tip of tail Otus (p. 252) 



a-. Toes scantily clothed with rather stiff bristles Ninox (p. 260) 



Genus PSEUDOPTYNX Kaup, 1848. 



Large; ear-tufts moderate; primaries but little longer than secondaries; 

 ])lumage full and streaked ; legs closely feathered to the toes; toes naked. 



Species. 



a\ Larger; wing, :5.'}0 to .'!S(l mm. 



b\ Smaller and lighter; wing, about 350 mm philippensis (p. 250) 



6^ Larger and darker; wing, about 375 mm mindanensis (p. 251) 



a\ Smaller and darker; wing, about 235 gurneyi (p. 250) 



