GREAT EAGLE-OWL. 439 



Remarks. — The male, in so far as can be judged 

 from specimens in museums, is much smaller. Not 

 having had an opportunity of examining any other in- 

 dividual in a recent state, and not being disposed to eke 

 out the present article by compilation, 1 shall merely 

 add a few remarks. 



The Eagle Owl, on being deprived of his skin and 

 the great quantities of adipose matter that lie over and 

 between the muscles, presents a very singular appear- 

 ance. The enormous breadth given to the anterior 

 parts by the pectoral muscles, the extreme narrowness 

 of the loins, and the great development of the muscles 

 of the thighs and legs, with the slender neck and dis- 

 proportioned head, produce a figure at which one can 

 hardly refrain from smiling, even were he as grave and 

 dignified as a system-maker. The effect is produced, 

 I believe, by the great contrast between the actual 

 form of the bird and its outline, as defined by the sur- 

 face of the plumage. I have dissected and drawn the 

 greater part of the muscular system, which I intend to 

 give in a larger and more solemn-looking book than the 

 present. 



In the mean time, I cannot refrain from once more 

 remarking on the extreme absurdity of considering de- 

 scriptions and figures of skins as constituting ornitho- 

 logical science. In his description of the present spe- 

 cies, M. Temminck states that the bill and claws are 

 horn-colour ; and Mr Selby, that the base of the bill is 

 pale yellowish-brown, the tip darker, the claws pale 

 yellowish-grey. It is evident to me that these descrip- 

 tions have been taken from dry skins merely; and I 



