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VI. A Contribution towards our KnoiuJedge of the Morplioloqy of the Owls. 

 By W. P. Pycraft, A.L.S., 3LB.0.U. 



(Plates 24-29.) 



AUG '29 '■tjyt^ Head L'lst April, 1898. 



Part I.— PTERYLOGUAPHY. 



I. Introductory. 



IHE foimdation of the j)i'esent paper was laid by Prof. Newton, when, at tlie close 

 of the year 1895, he sent me the remains — in the shape of a trunk — of a Sceloglnux 

 alhifacies which had but recently died, M'ith a request that I would try to " make 

 something of them," inasmuch as the bird "was exceedingly rare and verging on 

 extinction. This trunk was that of a bird which liad for some three years been in 

 the possession of Sir Fraccis Boileau, who had brought it to England from New 

 Zealand. Unfortunately it had been sent immediately after deatli to a taxidermist, 

 who had, however, been instructed to save the body for Mr. J. H. Gurney, from whom, 

 it came, through Prof. Newton, to the Department of Comparative Anatom.y of the 

 University Museum of Oxford, where I was then woi'king. Thus it happens that 

 certain points concerning the external anatomy are probably lost for ever. The general 

 pterylosis, and details of the form of the external aperture of the ear, ought to have been 

 carefully examined in comparison with that of other species ; but as it is, the only 

 information on the subject we possess we owe to Mr. J. H. Gurney (7) and the kindness 

 of Prof. Newton, who generously lent me a stuffed specimen and gave me permission to 

 relax the skin and make what I could of an examination of its pterylosis. This I liave 

 done, and the results will be found embodied in this paper. 



It struck me that the best method of learning something about Sceloglaux was to be 

 attained by first of all gathering as much information as possible about all the other 

 Owls, as by this means we might hope to gain som.e insight as to its probable systematic 

 position. 



The present paper represents the first fruits of an attempt to realize this end, and 

 deals with the external topography only. Later I propose to describe the Osteology, 

 Myology, Syrinx, Sacral Nervous System, and Visceral Anatomy of all the species 

 whose joterylosis is now described, and of as many additional species as can be 

 obtained. 



The pterylosis of Asio accipitrimis has lieen taken as the type of the paper and is 

 described in some detail, wliile only the salient features of the remaining species have 

 been touched upon. 



In this first part the pterylosis of some 20 species is described. I have been liberally 

 supported by fi'iends interested in the subject, and wish here to record my deej) sense 

 of indebtedness to those who have contributed material. 



SECOND SERIES. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. VII. 31 



