122 STRIGID/E. 



Family STRIGID^E. 



Hinder margin of sternum entire, with no distinct cleft ; inner margin of 

 middle claw serrated. Head large, densely feathered. Eyes surrounded with 

 a circle of radiating feathers ; between the anterior portion of the facial area a 

 frontal patch of small stiff feathers always present. Bill short, covered by stiff 

 bristles. Feet feathered to the toes. 



Gen. StriX- Linn, (in pt.) 



Nasal fossae large ; nostrils lunate. Wings reaching far beyond the tail ; tail 

 short, slightly rounded ; 2nd quill longest ; tarsi scantily feathered. 



118. Strix flammea, Lin. S. N. i. p. 133 ; ^m-. Man. d'o. \. 91 ; 



Gottld, B. Eur. i. pi. 36; Murray* Vert., ZooL, Sind, p. 101. Strix Javanica, 

 Gm. S. N. i. p. 295 ; Jerd. Mad. Journ. x. p. 85 ; id. Birds of Ind. i. p. 117, 

 No. 60 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs, Indian Birds\ Murray Hdbk., Zool.,fyc.+ 

 Sind., p. 1 19. Strix indica, Blyth, Ibis, 1860, p. 25 ; Hume, Rough Notes, ii. 

 p. 342 ; id. Sir. F. 1^73, p. 163 et 1875, p. 37. THE INDIAN SCREECH OWL. 



Head pale buff, mottled with light grey, each feather tipped with a white spot 

 and edged darker. Neck silky white, sometimes tinged yellowish and with 

 small brown spots ; the ruff the same, with darker tips ; chin, throat, and 

 breast, and under parts white, the feathers of the breast and abdomen with 

 -small black specks. Scapulars and back pale buff, mottled with grey, each 

 feather with a terminal dark-edged white spot. Primaries buff on the outer 

 web and paler on the inner, edged with white and baned with brown, the outer 



