60 



SYRXIA. 



acute. Mouth very wide ; tongue short, deeply sagittate 

 and papillate at the base, nearly flat above, with the sides 

 parallel, the tip narrow and slightly emarginate ; oesophagus 

 wide, without dilatation ; stomach large, roundish, its mus- 

 cular coat very thin, the epithelium thick, moderately tough, 

 and rugous ; pylorus with two prominences ; intestine of 

 moderate length, rather wide ; coeca large, oblong, narrowed 

 at the base ; cloaca globular, very large. Nostrils ovate, 

 oblique, with the cere tumid behind them. Eyes very 

 large. Conch simple, elliptical, less than half the height of 

 the head ; which is very large, broad, and rounded ; neck 

 short; body of moderate size. Legs rather short, stout ; 

 tarsus short, feathered ; toes short, feathered ; but with the 

 filaments wanting in some species, all with two scutella at 

 the end ; claws long, well curved, compressed, very acute. 

 Plumage very full and soft ; facial disks incomplete above 

 the eyes ; ruff incomplete and inconspicuous ; feathers oblong, 

 rounded ; wings large, broad, rounded ; the first four quills 

 sinuate on both webs ; tail broad, rounded, rather long. 



These birds pursue their prey chiefly by day, and inhabit 

 open districts. They are for the most part confined to the 

 Arctic regions during the warmer season, and at the approach 

 of winter advance a little southward. Their food consists 

 of quadrupeds, birds, fishes, and insects. Of the two species 

 which have been met with in Britain, neither is perma- 

 nently resident. Another has been once procured at some 

 distance from the coast. 



21. SYRNIA FUNEREA. HAWK DAY-OWL. 



Tail rather long and much rounded ; toes covered with 

 shaggy feathers ; upper parts brownish-black, or chocolate- 

 brown, spotted and barred with white; lower parts white, 

 narrowly barred with dusky ; quills with transverse elliptical 

 white spots, tail with about eight bands of narrower spots ; 

 bill yellowish-white, claws dusky. 



Male, 15, ..., 9f, 1 T \, 1, }$, \%. Female, 17, ..., 10. ^ 



Inhabits the northern parts of both continents. An indi- 

 vidual was captured, in March 1830, off the southern coast of 

 England, and described, in 1835, by Mr Thompson of Belfast. 



Hawk Owl. Hudson's Bay Owl. 



Strix funerea, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. 294. Strix funerea, 



