SCREECH-OWL. 385 



curved, tapering", extremely acute, rounded above, con- 

 vex on the sides, very narrow, and grooved beneath, 

 that of fourth toe largest, of the rest nearly equal, of 

 the middle toe transversely cut or serrated on its inner 

 narrow thin edge. 



Plumage extremely soft and downy. Face with two 

 complete facial disks, composed of circular series of 

 weak, slender, slightly recurved feathers, having re- 

 mote barbs ; surrounding which is a ruff formed of se- 

 veral rows of linear or spathulate incurved feathers, 

 having the barbs loose, but closer at their rounded re- 

 curved extremity- Feathers of the forehead concealed 

 by the ruff and disks ; bill also partially concealed ; fea- 

 thers of the head and neck narrow, the latter very long, 

 of the back broader and rounded, of the lower parts 

 moderately long and almost entirely downy ; an elon- 

 gated tuft on the femur externally ; the feathers of the 

 tibia short, of the tarsus very short and small, of the 

 toes reduced to the flattened bristle-like shafts, tliere 

 being no down, or scarcely any, at their base. Wings 

 long, very broad ; primary quills ten, very broad, with 

 slender shafts, the outer a little incurved towards the 

 end, all entire on both margins and rounded, the first 

 with the barbs of its outer web free and curved out- 

 wards, the second longest, the first and third sliglitly 

 shorter ; secondary quills fifteen, slightly decurved, 

 rounded, the three inner short and more feeble. Tail 

 short, decurved, even, of twelve broad rounded feathers 

 with feeble shafts. 



Such is the structure of the birds of this genus, so 

 far as I have described it ; and how admirably accord- 

 ant it is v/ith their mode of life, let any one judge who 



Kk 



