ACCIPITRES. 131 



Insects. Small birds have a natural antipathy to them, and fre- 

 quently assemble from all quarters to attack them. They form but 

 one genus, 



STRIX, Lin. 



The Owls may be divided by their tufts, the size of their ears, the extent 

 of the circle of feathers which surrounds their eyes, and some other char- 

 acters. 



OTUS, Cuv. 



The Horned Owls, or those which have two tufts of feathers on the fore- 

 head, (vulg 1 . horns) which they can erect at pleasure; the conch of their 

 ear extends in a semicircle from the beak to the top of the head, and is fur- 

 nished in front with a membranous operculum. Their feet are feathered 

 down to the nails. Such is 



Sir. otus, L. (The Common Owl. ) Fawn coloured, with longitudinal 

 brown spots on the body and underneath; wings and back vermiculated 

 with brown; horns half the length of the head; eight or nine bands on 

 the tail. 



The genus Strix, as already stated, now forms several subgenera such as 

 Otus, Syrnium, JBubo, Scops, and Noctua. To the last belongs the 



Sir. nyctea, L. (The Snowy Owl.) This bird almost equals the Grand 

 Due in size. Its snow-white plumage is marked with transverse brown 

 spots, which disappear with age. It inhabits the north of both continents, 

 builds upon high rocks, and pursues Hares, Grouse, &c. 



ORDER II. 



PASSERINE. (1) 



This order is the most numerous of the whole class. 



The birds which compose it have neither the violence of the Birds 

 of Prey, nor the fixed regimen of the Gallinaceae, nor of the Water- 

 birds ; Insects, fruit, and grain constitute their food, which consists 

 the more exclusively of grain, in proportion to the largeness of 

 their beak, and of Insects, as it is the more slender. Those which 

 have strong beaks pursue even small birds. Among them we find 

 the singing birds, and the most complicated inferior larynx. 



(1) Passerine; from Passer a sparrow. 



