424 BUBO. 



Head very large, broad, flattened above, anteriorly- 

 narrowed ; neck short, rather strong, seeming extreme- 

 ly thick on account of the great mass of feathers cover- 

 ing it ; body short, stout, deeper than broad, much nar- 

 rowed behind. Legs rather short, very strong and 

 muscular; tibiae of moderate length, very thick ; tarsi 

 short, rounded, closely covered with blended feathers ; 

 toes short, stout, covered above with short close plu- 

 mage, beneath with soft conical papillae, the first very 

 short and admitting of much lateral motion, the fourth 

 next in length and capable of being placed at a right 

 angle to the third, which is considerably longer than 

 the second ; claws curved, long, tapering, very acute, 

 rounded above, convex on the sides, their lower surface 

 narrow and presenting a flattened groove, excepting 

 that of the third, wliicli is broad, with an expanded in- 

 ner edge. 



Plumage very soft and full. Facial disks incom- 

 plete, the space above the eyes being occupied by fea- 

 thers of a different texture ; the feathers of the disks 

 oblong, slightly curved, with loose barbs ; those di- 

 rected forwards and partially concealing the bill longer 

 and stifl^er ; the rufi^ inconspicuous and incomplete, its 

 feathers spathulate and slightly curved. The feathers 

 in general are oblong and rounded ; those of the thorax 

 and abdomen downy, but completely covered by two 

 large bunches from the fore part and sides of the 

 thorax ; of the legs, tarsi, and toes, short and blended. 

 Wings long, very broad, much rounded ; primary quills 

 broad and rounded, the first three sinuate on the inner 

 web, the first four slightly cut out on the outer, the 

 third longest ; secondary quills from fifteen to eighteen, 



