STEIGIDyE. — CLIV. 261 



427. PANDION Savigny. (navbicnv, a name in mythology.) 



825. P. haliaetus (L.). Osprey. Fish Hawk. Dark brown; 

 tail grayish with narrow dark bars; head neck and lower parts 

 mostly white ; 9 with the breast more spotted ; feet very large. 

 L. 24. W. 20. T. 10. In most parts of the world, about water, 

 an expert fisher. The American bird is var. carolinensis Gmelin. 

 (Gr., sea-eagle.) 



Family CLIV. STRIGID^. (The Barn Owls.) 



A small family including those owls which have long faces, the 

 facial disk being complete and subtriangular. All these have the 

 sternum entire behind, with a central emargination, the furculum 

 grown fast ; the middle and inner toes are about equal in length, 

 and the middle claw is pectinate below. Genera 2, species 6 or 8, 

 chiefly of Asia and Europe. 



o. Wings long, pointed, reaching beyond tail when folded; no ear tufts; tar- 

 sus scant-feathered; bill pale ; eyes black Strix, 428. 



428. STRIX Linn?eus. (Lat. screech-owl.) 



826. S. pratincola Bonaparte. Bakx Owl. Tawny of 

 various shades, very finely mottled, streaked, and dotted with 

 darker; below pale, with some spots. L. 17. W. 13. T. 5^. 

 N. Am., chiefly S., a handsome, solemn-looking, and fierce little 

 owl. (Lat., inhabitant of fields.) 



Family CLV. BUBONID^. (The Owls.) 



Head very large, shortened lengthwise and greatly expanded 

 laterally, the eyes directed forwards and partly surrounded by a 

 more or less complete circular disk of radiating feathers of peculiar 

 texture ; loral feathers antrorse, long and dense ; feathers on the 

 sides of forehead often elongated into ear-like tufts. Plumage very 

 soft and lax, rendering the flight almost noiseless ; its colors blended 

 and mottled so as to baffle description. External ear very large, 

 often provided with a movable flap. Outer toe reversible ; claws 

 very sharp, long, and strong ; inner toe shorter than middle ; mid- 

 dle claw not pectinate. Sternum double notched or fenestrate ; 

 furculum free. Eggs nearly spherical, pure white. Chiefly noc- 

 turnal. Sexes colored alike, 9 usually the larger. Owls are 

 found in every part of the globe, and most of the species have a 

 wide range. Their habits are too well known to need description 

 here. 

 a. Tarsus fully feathered. 



b. Eye in the centre of a nearly complete circular disk ; external ear larger 

 than eye, with a well developed opercle. 

 c. Ear-tufts present, sometimes very short ; cere longer than rest of cul- 

 meu ; iris yellow Asio, 429. 



