186 BRITISH BIRDS. 
Genus BUBO. 
The Eagle Owls were first separated from the genus Séria in 1760 by 
Brisson, who associated them with the other horned Owls in a somewhat 
heterogeneous group, to which he gave the generic name of Asio. In 
1767 they were temporarily dissociated from the Scops Eared Owls by 
Gerini, and placed in the genus Bubo; but in 1806 Duméril reunited them 
with their smaller relations, retaining the name of Bubo for the composite 
genus. In 1810 Savigny finally separated them from the Scops Eared 
Owls ; and in 1817 Cuvier, in his ‘ Régne Animal,’ p. 331, restricted the 
genus to its present limits, but without indicating any type. As Budo 
maximus is the Strix bubo of Linnzus and the Asio bubo of Brisson, it 
must, of course, be considered the type of the restricted genus. 
The Eagle Owls are not really distinct from Scops, the only generic 
distinction being difference of size, none of them measuring less than a 
foot in length of wing. They are furnished with ear-tufts. The tarsi are 
always feathered ; but in some species the toes are almost naked. They 
belong to the group of Owls in which the ear is small, about the size of 
the eye, and not furnished with an operculum. The underparts are both 
transversely barred and longitudinally streaked; but the bars are almost 
obsolete, and the streaks very conspicuous—a character which distinguishes 
them from the Hawk Owls. In their habits they do not differ materiaily 
from the other Owls. 
The Eagle Owls are found almost all over the world, with the exception 
of Australia and the Pacific Islands. There are about twenty species. 
Only two, very nearly ailied ones, are found in Europe; and of these 
only one visits our islands, 
Es 
