430 BUBO MAXIMUS. 



angle between the eyelid and the nyctitant mem- 

 brane. 



The external aperture of the ear or conch is more 

 than half the height of the skull, elliptical, nearly of the 

 same form as that of Aluco stridulus, but diflPering in 

 not having an elevated operculum, its margins being 

 little raised. They are beset all round with short 

 curved feathers in several series. The bottom of the 

 conch is formed of the outer edge of the eyeball, and 

 the corresponding part of the orbit, covered with skin. 

 At its lower part is a large pad of adipose matter, be- 

 hind which, and bounded posteriorly by an edged pro- 

 cess of the occipital bone, is the meatus externus, which 

 is oblique, elliptical, five-twelfths by three-twelfths. 

 The external aperture or conch is an inch and one- 

 twelfth long, its margins two-twelfths broad. There 

 is no bare space above or below it. 



The thighs are extremely short, the tibia also compa- 

 ratively short and extremely muscular, the tarsus very 

 short, rounded and feathered. The hind toe is very 

 short and capable of being moved to either side ; the 

 fourth next in length and reversible, but ordinarily di- 

 rected outwards ; the third longest. All the toes have 

 three large membranous terminal scutella. The third 

 and fourth are connected by a short web. Their soles 

 are padded and covered with large conical soft papillae. 

 The claws are very long, curved in less than a semi- 

 circle, excepting the first, of which the outline is semi- 

 circular ; tapering, very acute, convex above and on the 

 sides, with a broad concave groove beneath, excepting 

 the third, which is there broad and flattened, with a 

 dilated inner edge. 



