324 STRIGIN^. 



bone is large, but the superciliary is not present as in 

 the falcons ; the nasal cavity is large, and that of the 

 organ of hearing still more so. There are generally 

 twelve cervical vertebrae, eight dorsal, twelve united 

 lumbar and sacral, eight caudal ; the extreme cultriform 

 caudal vertebra is generally not half the size of that of 

 the Falconinse. The true ribs are seven, very slender, 

 and with their posterior elongated processes remarkably 

 so. The sternum is short, concave, with four deep si- 

 nuses behind, its crest or ridge of considerable height, 

 its sides nearly parallel. The clavicles are flattened, 

 and not very strong ; the furcula very slender, its crura 

 so disposed as to resemble the letter V ; the bones of the 

 wing of moderate length, but not remarkably strong. 

 The pelvis is smaller than that of the hawks ; but the 

 bones of the leg are proportionally nearly as strong ; 

 the patella distinct ; the tibia rather long, the slender 

 fibula partially anchylosed to it ; the tarsus generally 

 short ; the hind toe articulated to a small separate bone, 

 and having two phalanges, the second three, the third 

 four, the fourth five. The penultimate phalanx of all 

 the toes is much longer than the rest, and those of the 

 outer toe are extremely short. 



The bill is in every case much shorter than the head, 

 and is furnished at the base with a comparatively long 

 cere, which is for the most part feathered, excepting its 

 upper part. The upper mandible has its tip acute, pro- 

 longed, and curved over the rounded extremity of the 

 lower. The palate is flat or prominent, sloping upwards 

 at the sides, and marked with two longitudinal soft pro- 

 minent lines ; the aperture of the internal nares ellipti- 

 cal behind, anteriorly linear, and generally papillate on 



