XX 
and Larks; and in this order Yarrell arranged them; and 
Newton has not disturbed; this order also Mr. Seebohm 
follows. 
But the B.O.U. List has introduced the Shrikes, 
Martins, Finches, and Crows between the Pipits, and 
Larks. 
Alluding to the way in which the birds have been 
placed, and displaced, in and from the divers Genera; Mr. 
Seebohm characteristically says of ‘Aluco Flammeus,’ 
“ The Barn Owl has been knocked about by modern Ornt- 
thologists from genus to genus, until it can scarcely find 
rest for the sole of its foot.” Whilst his own views upon 
the grouping of the genera seem to me to be so perfectly 
‘ the system of common sense’ that I venture to quote a 
short extract from his British Oology Vol. I, p. 146. 
“The Owls are avery well defined group of birds ; 
and are associated, by Sclater, with the Cuckoos, the Par- 
rots, the Birds of prey, the Pelicans, the Herons, and the 
Ducks: Forbes places them with the Goatsuckers, Rollers, 
and Beeeaters: Gadow allies them with the Parrots, the 
Birds of prey, and the Galiinaceous birds. Here again 
three authorities do not all agree as to any of the families 
which are allied to the Owls; which I place as my second 
family ; with the caution to the reader that it may, or may 
not be related to the families which precede, or follow it. 
To the ordinary observer the Owls appear to be closely 
related to the Birds of prey, by the form of their bill, and 
claws, and by the shape of their eggs; they appear to be 
specially related to the Harrvers by their facial disk, to the 
Ospreys, by thetr reversible third toes, and to the Eagles 
by their feathered tarsi: tt ts difficult to believe that all 
these characters are accidental, and when we find such 
difference of opinion among scientific men as to their true 
affinities, it 1s difficult to avoid coming to the conclusion 
