of the United States. 35 



and covered with feathers ; toes entirely divided ; the outer 

 versatile ; hind toe shortest ; nails strong, very sharp, re- 

 markably retractile. Wings ample, subacute ; first primary 

 short, second a little shorter than the third which is longest : 

 first three primaries generally with loose recurved barbs on 

 the outer edge. 



Young with a darker face, so as to appear masked ; but 

 after the first moult resembling the adults. 



Solitary : nocturnal : hunt during the evening and night, 

 (with the exception of a few species which are diurnal) and 

 see well in the dark. Eyes resplendent, pupil very large, 

 contractile ; dazzled by the light of day ; moving awkwardly 

 when exposed to it : hearing acute : feathers soft and loose ; 

 fly short distances without noise, and pounce upon their 

 prey unexpectedly ; feed on small birds, mice, bats, and in- 

 sects, chiefly nocturnal lepidoptera ; swallow their prey alive, 

 and cast up the indigestible portions in small pellets; voice 

 disagreeable, and believed by the superstitious to be of bad 

 augury ; breed in fissures of rocks, or in holes of old trees. 

 Eggs from two to six. Analogous to the mammiferous g;e\w.s 

 Felis. 



Spread all over the globe. 



§ 1. Bill curved from the base. 



SUBGENUS I. SURMA 



Surni , Dmn'ril. Noctua, Scops, Syrnium, Cuv. 



Opening of the ears oval and of moderate size, not oper- 

 culated ; disk of slender feathers, rather small and not re- 

 markably distinct. 



Approaching nearer to Falco than any other subgenus, 

 f Head without tufts of feathers (JYoctua, Cuv.) 



Feathered to the claws ; quill feathers with the outer webs 

 not recurved or loose at their tips. Tail reaching beyond 

 the wings. The North American species are all diurnal. 



23. Strix funekea, Gm. Blackish-brown, thickly spotted 



