514 , The Roller-like Birds 



tions. In all cases, however, the sexes are alike in plumage, and in this con- 

 nection it may be mentioned that two phases of plumage often occur irrespective 

 of age or sex, namely, a "gray" phase in which the dominant color is brown- 

 ish gray, and a "red" phase in which a rusty red predominates. 



The Owls, which are embraced in some thirty genera and considerably more 

 than three hundred species and subspecies, are unquestionably a very old group, 

 since a dozen or more fossil forms have been described from the lower, middle, 

 and upper Tertiary deposits of various parts of the world. As already pointed 

 out, they are a very compact and homogeneous assemblage, so much so in fact 

 that it is difficult to satisfactorily divide them into smaller groups. As at present 

 understood, the suborder contains but a single family (Strigida), which it is 

 possible to divide into two well-marked subfamilies, the Strigina, or Barn 

 Owls, and the Bubonina, or Horned Owls and their allies. 



The Barn Owls (Subfamily StrigincB).- This subfamily includes, so far as 

 known, but one living genus, Strix, embracing the well-known Barn Owls. 

 Among the characters by which this subfamily is distinguished it may be 

 mentioned that the sternum or breast-bone is without notches behind and 

 has its broad keel firmly joined to the furcula; the inner toe is as long as 

 the middle toe, the latter with the inner edge of the claw serrated. The wing- 

 quills also furnish a number of distinguishing marks, the first being longer 

 than the third, and all without sinuation or indentation on the inner webs. 



The Barn Owls, of which some twenty-five forms are known, enjoy a wide 

 distribution, having representatives in nearly all parts of the world with the 

 exception of the colder regions. They are medium-sized birds, none of them 

 exceeding twenty-one inches in length, without ear-tufts, but with a very con- 

 spicuous, entirely continuous facial ruff, which gives them the so-called "monkey- 

 face," so often ascribed to them. The wings are very long, extending consider- 

 ably beyond the tip of the relatively short tail, the legs are densely clothed with 

 soft, short feathers, and the claws are extremely long and sharp. The beak is 

 rather long, straight at the base and strongly decurved at the tip, while the eyes 

 are small and black. 



There are some differences of opinion as to the treatment of these Owls, 

 some arguing that there is but a single, or at most only three or four, forms that 

 are entitled to rank as species, and these of very wide distribution ; but, as will 

 be shown later, the differences in size and coloration are so great as to seem- 

 ingly preclude the possibility of there being so few recognizable forms. Thus 

 the American Barn Owl (Strix pratincola) is from fifteen to twenty-one inches 

 in length, ochraceous yellow above, this overlaid, more or less continuously, 

 by a grayish superficial hue, finely mottled and speckled with dusky and white, 

 while the lower parts vary in every degree from silky white to bright tawny, 

 dotted or speckled with black. It is pretty generally distributed over the warmer 

 parts of the United States and Mexico, becoming the most abundant Owl in 

 California ; but as it is strictly nocturnal in its habits its presence is often un- 

 noticed even in localities where it is fairly common. It has a special predilection 

 for church towers, open belfries, or little-frequented buildings when these are 



