BARN OWL. RAPTORES. STRIX. 99 



By SAVIGNY and other naturalists, the birds of this genus 

 have been considered the typical representatives of the fami- 

 ly ; but as our knowledge of the various groups is still so 

 limited, and so little attention has hitherto been given to the 

 peculiar features which must regulate our study, and lead us 

 to their true affinities, it remains a matter of doubt, whether 

 the type will be found to exist in the present genus, or in 

 some of the others, as Ulula or Otus, in both of which a 

 nearly equal development of the auditory conch, facial disk, 

 and other characteristic points, are to be found. They are 

 birds of strictly nocturnal habits, and are never seen abroad 

 till night-fall. This trait is pointed out to us by the soft 

 and downy plumage with which they are clothed, and is par- 

 ticularly observable in the fabric of their quill-feathers ; en- 

 dowing them with a buoyant and noiseless flight, and ena- 

 bling them to steal upon their nimble prey, without creating 

 a fatal alarm. Mice and other small mammalia seem to con- 

 stitute their entire support. 



BARN OR WHITE OWL. 



STRIX FLAMMEA, Linn. 

 PLATE XXIV. 



Strix Flammea, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 133. 8 Faun. Suec. No. 73 Gmel. 



Syst 1. p. 293 Lath. Ind. Ornith. 1. 60. 28 IVils. Amer. Ornith. v. 0. 



p. 57. pL 50. fig. 2. 



Aluco Flammeus, Flem. Br. Anim. 1. 57. No. 29. 

 Aluco, Briss. 1. p. 503. 2 Raii Syn. p. 25. A. 1. 

 Aluco minor Aldrov. Will. p. 67- t. 13. 

 Chouette Effiraie, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 91. 

 L'Effraie ou le Fresaie, Buff. Ois. v. 1. p. 366. t. 26. 

 Schleyerkauz, Becfist. Naturg. Deut. v. 2. p. 947. Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut 



v. 1. p. 79. 



Die Kirkuil, Sepp. NederL Vog. v. 3. p. 399 Frisch. Vbg. t. 97. 

 White Owl, Br. ZooL 1. No. 6? Arct. ZooL No. 124 Will. (Ang.) p. 104. 



t. 13 Levin's Br. Birds, 1. t. 26 Lath. Syn. 1. p. 138. 26. Id. Sup. 



p. 46 Mont. Ornith. Diet v. 2 Don, Br. Birds, t. 113 Pult. Cat 



Dorset, p. 4 Bewick's Br. Birds, v. 1. p. 51. 

 Barn Owl, Shaw's Zool. 7- 258. 



PROVINCIAL Gillihowlit, Howlet, Madge Owl, Church Owl, Hissing 

 Owl, Screech Owl. 



