114 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Fam. Strigid^. 



Head large, densely featheied ; eyes surrounded with a circle 

 of radiating feathers, forming the facial disk, which is bounded 

 in some by a ruff of close-set feathers ; eyes large, directed 

 forwards ; bill short, usually covered by recumbent setae ; ears 

 large ; feet usually feathered to the toes, outer toe reversible, 

 generally shorter than the inner one. 



The Owls form a very natural family, any member of which is 

 easily recognisable at once by its peculiar external appearance. 

 The large head and eye, the fixcial disk, the forward settini; of 

 the eye, the soft plumage, and the beautifully blended unobtrusive 

 colours, at once distinguish an Owl. They may be said to approach, 

 on the one side, the Harriers, which have large ears, a ruflf, and a 

 noiseless flight ; and on the other side, have some affinity with the 

 Parrots, by means of the remarkable Australian genus Strigops, 

 which has the facial disk and lengthened bristles of an Owl ; and 

 if its plumage were brown and sombre, might, with great ease, 

 be overlooked for one. The ears are usually of large size, some- 

 times very large, and often furnished with an operculum or lid, 

 and hence the Owls possess a most delicate perception of hearing, 

 whilst their soft downy feathers give to them a light, buoyant, 

 and noiseless flight. Many of them possess a large double crest, 

 or tuft of lengthened feathers above the eyes, popularly called 

 horns or ears, and named by naturalists aigrettes, or ear tufts, or 

 frontal tufts. The wing-feathers have the webs with the plumules 

 disunited at the tips, and very pliable, causing the outer edge of 

 the quills to appear serrated, thus allowing a free passage to tlie 

 air, and at the same time the length and proportion of the quills 

 enables them to sustain flight well. The eyes are fixed in the 

 orbits in such a way as to look directly forwards, and this gives 

 them that peculiar stare so familiar to all. They are usually laro-e, 

 and their vision is very acute by night; but from the great size of 

 the pupil, which allows so much light to enter the eye, they are 

 dazzled in a bright light, and see very badly. 



The bill is somewhat short, generally well curved and hooked 

 at the tip, and the base always concealed by long projectino- 



