321 Mr. R. B. Sharpc on the Genus Strix. 



XXIII. — Contributions to a History of the Accipitres. The 

 Genus Strix of Linnceus, and its Type. By R. Bowdlek 

 Sharpe, F.L.S., F.Z.S.j &c., of the Zoological Department, 

 British Museum. 



As Professor Newton and Mr. Salvin {anfea, p. 66) hold 

 different views as to which species of Owl should be desig- 

 nated as the type of the Linnaean genus Strix, I must preface 

 the following notes by expressing my sense of the difficulty 

 of attempting a settlement of the question, especially as the 

 former ornithologist has done such excellent work in his re- 

 vision of the nomenclature of European birds in his new 

 edition of ' Yarrell.' 



Having, however, been lately forced to determine this ques- 

 tion for myself, with regard to a redistribution of the genera 

 of Owls for the second volume of my ' Catalogue of Birds,' 

 I believe that a publication of the method by which I have 

 assigned the types of the genera Stria: and Asio may lead to 

 a profitable discussion. 



In 1766 Linnaeus published his 12th edition of the ' Sys- 

 •tema Naturae,' the standard work whence most ornithologists 

 commence their inquiries. In this book he characterized his 

 genus Stria: ; of which he knew only twelve species, and these 

 he divided into two sections : — 



«. auriculatse, pennis auricularum instar exstantium. 

 1. huho, 2. scandiaca, 3, asio, 4. otus, 5. scops. 

 /8. inauriculatse. 



6. nyctea, 7. aluco, ^. flammea, 9. stridula, 10. ulula, 11. 

 funerea, 12. passer ina. 



It simplifies matters to remember that Nos. 2 and 6 refer 

 to the same species, while No. 9 is identical with No. 7, and 

 No. 11 with No. 10. 



By Rule 2 of the British-Association code we are permitted 

 to retain certain Brissonian genera, " which are additional to 

 those in the 12th edition of Linnaeus." We may therefore 

 adopt Brisson's genus Asio (Orn. i. p. 28), in which he pro- 

 poses to place the Horned Owls. It is prettv evident that 

 this arrangement of Brisson's influenced Linnaeus in his clas- 



