68 STRIGIN^E. STRIX. 



large and globular. Nostrils large, ovate, oblique. Eyes 

 very large, slightly mobile, oblique. Conch extremely large, 

 semicircular, extending from over the anterior angle of the 

 eye to the middle of the lower jaw, with an anterior erect, 

 semicircular, subtruncate operculum. Head extremely large, 

 broad behind, somewhat trigonal ; neck short ; body slender ; 

 legs rather long, of moderate strength ; tarsi covered with 

 small downy feathers ; toes short, covered above with small 

 scales, together with adpressed shaft-bristles, and two or three 

 terminal scutella ; claws long, moderately curved, tapering, 

 extremely acute, that of the third toe with its inner dilated 

 edge serrate. Plumage very full, soft, and downy ; facial 

 disks very large and complete ; ruff perfect and conspicuous ; 

 wings long, very broad ; the second quill longest, the first 

 and third slightly shorter ; all the quills with their margins 

 direct ; tail short, even, rather weak. 



The Screech-Owls have an extremely buoyant and silent 

 flight. They are nocturnal, but are able to find their way 

 by day. Their food consists chiefly of small glires, insects, 

 and occasionally young birds. They nestle in buildings, 

 rocks, and other high places, as well as on the ground, and 

 lay two or three elliptical or oval white eggs. Species occur 

 on both continents, as well as in New Holland 



30. STRIX FLAMMEA. EUROPEAN SCREECH-OWL. 



Operculum margined with linear-oblong feathers ; bill 

 yellowish-white ; claws dark purplish-grey ; upper parts light 

 reddish -yellow, variegated with minutely mottled ash-grey, 

 and small black and white spots ; facial disks and lower parts 

 white, the latter with very small dusky spots. Young similar 

 to the adult, but with the upper parts darker. 



Male, 14, 35, lli, l, 2 T V, 1 T \, T V Female, 15, 28. 



This species is more extensively distributed, and more 

 numerous in Britain, than any other of its family ; but it is 

 very seldom met with in the wilder and bleaker districts, its 

 favourite haunts being in the cultivated and sheltered parts 

 of the country, where meadows and corn-fields foster the 

 animals on which it habitually preys. Ruined buildings and 

 hollow trees are its usual places of abode, and there it depo- 

 sits its eggs, from two to five in number, an inch and a half 

 in length, an inch and a quarter in breadth, pure white, and 

 smooth. The youn^ are at first covered with white down. 



