264 STRIGIDJE. 



the most part on mammals, on other birds, or on reptiles ; a few 

 subsist on fish, and many of the smaller kinds on insects. The 

 indigestible portions of the food bones, hair, scales, &c. are 

 disgorged as pellets. It is not an uncommon thing to find masses 

 of small bones in a hollow tree, thus accumulated. 



The Owls comprise two families, both Indian. These families 

 .are well distinguished by osteological characters, but present no 

 external differences of any importance. 



Skull long and narrow, breadth much less than 



% of length ; furcula united to keel of ster- 



num . . T. . . ............................ Strigidae, p. 264. 



iSkull broad, generally about of length ; furcula 



not in contact with keel of sternum ........ Asionidae, p. 267. 



Family 



Hinder margin of sternum with a single shallow notch on each 

 side ; furcula anchylosed to keel of sternum ; no manubrium sterni. 

 Skull long and narrow. Second joint of third toe considerably 

 longer than the basal joint. (Beddard, Ibis, 1888, p. 340.) 



Only two genera are known Btrix, which is almost cosmo- 

 politan, and Heliodilus, peculiar to Madagascar. 



Genus STRIX, Linn., 1766 *. 



No aigrettes (ear-tufts). Facial disk well developed and large, 

 and entirely surrounded by a ruff of stiff feathers. Bill straight 

 at the base, compressed and weak ; nostrils oval. Legs long, the 

 upper part of the tarsus clad with feathers, which pass into bristles 

 on the lower tarsus and upper surface of the toes ; middle toe 

 scarcely longer than the inner, middle claw expanded and pectinate 

 on the inner side. Wings very long and pointed, exceeding the 

 tail, 2nd quill longest, 1st subequal ; tail moderate. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Upper surface speckled ; tarsus less than 3 inches S.flaminea, p. 264. 



b. Upper surface with small spots but not speckled ; 



tarsus over 3 inches ...................... S. Candida, p. 266. 



1152. Strix flammea. The Barn-Owl or Screecli-Owl. 



Strix flammea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 133 (1766) ; Blyth, Cat. p. 41 ; 

 Sharps, Cat. B. M. ii, p. 291 j Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 164 ; Gates, 

 B. B. ii, p. 167. 



* Newton has shown (Yarrell, ed. 4, i. p. 150, and Ibis, 1876, p. 94) that 

 he type of the Linnaean genus Strix is clearly the Tawny Owl (S. stridula v. 

 alueo), and that Fleming's generic name Aluco should be used for S. flammea and 

 its allies ; but Sharpe (Ibis, 1875, p. 324) has given reasons, which, though nor, 

 so strong as Prof. Newton's, serve as a sufficient excuse for adhering to the usual 

 nomenclature. 



