350 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [PART iv. 



FAMILY 98. STEIGID^E. (23 Genera, 180 Species.) 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. 



The Strigidae, or Owls, form an extensive and well-known 

 family of nocturnal birds, which, although invariably placed next 

 the Hawks, are now believed to be not very closely allied to the 

 other Accipitres. They range over the whole globe, extending to 

 the extreme polar regions and to the remotest oceanic islands. 

 Their classification is very unsettled, and we therefore place the 

 genera, for convenience, in the order in which they follow each 

 other in the Hand List of Birds. Those adopted by most orni- 

 thologists are the following : 



Surnia (I sp.), the Arctic regions of both hemispheres ; Nyctea 

 (l.sp.), South Carolina to Greenland and Northern Europe; 

 Athene (40 sp.), the Eastern hemisphere to New Zealand and the 

 Solomon Islands ; Ninox (7 sp.), the Oriental region, North China 

 and Japan; Glaucidium (7 sp.), Neotropical region, California, 

 and Oregon, Europe to North China ; Micratliene (1 sp.), Mexico 

 and Arizona ; Pholeoptynx (2 sp.), Neotropical region, Texas, and 

 North-west America; Bubo (16 sp.), universally distributed, ex- 

 cluding the Australian region ; Ketupa (3 sp.), the Oriental 

 region, Palestine ; Scotopelia (2 sp.), West and South Africa ; 

 Scops (30 sp.), universally distributed, excluding Australia and 

 Pacific Islands ; Gymnoglaux (2 sp.), Antilles ; Lophostrix (2 sp.), 

 Lower Amazon to Guatemala; Syrnium (22 sp.), all regions but 

 the Australian; Ciccaba (10 sp.), Paraguay to Mexico ; Nyctala- 

 tinus (1 sp.), Columbia; Pulsatrix (2 sp.), Brazil and Peru 

 to Guatemala ; Asio ' (6 sp.), all regions but the Australian, 

 Sandwich Islands ; Nyctalops (I sp.), Cuba and Mexico to Brazil 

 and Monte Video ; Pseudoscops (I sp.), Jamaica ; Nyctala (4 sp.), 

 the North Temperate zone; Strix (18 sp.), universally distri- 

 buted ; Phodilus (1 sp.), Himalayas and Malaya. 



