294 RAPRODES. 



OWLS. The species are exceedingly numerous, and our notices 

 of them must be few and general. 



(1.) BARN OWLS. 



Strix. (Gr. from strizo, to screech.) This genus includes the 

 Barn, or typical group of Owls, having great ears, covered with 

 a large operculum, or ear-flap. The beak is lengthened, and 

 covered only towards the point ; the tarsi are rather long and 

 feathered, and the toes clothed with hair. The Barn Owls are 

 eminently nocturnal ; they are without egrets, or tufts of feathers 

 upon the head ; their colors are generally white and pale buff, 

 marked and speckled with bluish gray ; their voices loud and 

 discordant. 



The Barn, or Screech Owl, S. flammea, (Lat. flaming,) is 

 common in the temperate and warmer regions of Europe. It 

 hides during the day "in deep recesses, among ivy-clad ruins, in 

 antique church towers, in the hollows of old trees, in barn-lofts, 

 and in similar places of seclusion." At night it sallies forth for 

 prey, which consists of mice, rats, moles, and shrews. The 

 length of this Owl is about thirteen inches. 



THE AMERICAN BARN OWL, S. -Americana, is closely allied to 

 the European Barn Owl ; the color is of a darker brown, with 

 the ruff red, and the length from seventeen to eighteen inches. 

 It is much more abundant in the Southern section of the Union 

 than in the other parts, and is also found quite plentifully in 

 Cuba. 



(2.) TUFT LESS OWLS. 



These differ from the rest of the family, (excepting the Barn 

 Owl.) in the extraordinary extension of the fringes of feathers 

 about the eye ; and also differ among each other in their adapta- 

 tion to diurnal or nocturnal habits. Like the Barn Owls, they 

 are widely diffused over the globe. 



Surnium. (Gr. owl, or inauspicious bird.) THE HOOTING 

 OWLS. The Owls of this genus hoot, and are of very large size. 

 The legs are rather short, with the toes feathered. The plumage 

 is very soft and downy ; ^the facial disks are complete ; the 

 wings, very large and much rounded. 



THE GREAT CINEREOUS OWL, S. cinereum, (Lat. ash-colored.) 

 is very large, the female being about two and a half feet long. 

 They range from the North-East coast of the United States to 

 the Columbia river. The comparatively small size of their eyes 

 seems to indicate that they hunt by day, as Audubon suggests ; 



