28 



NDIH'II AMEIUCAN lilltDS. 



Syrniinn iiibiilostim. 



GeNI'M SYRNIUM, SAVIfJNY. 



Si/niiioii, Savionv, iVut. Hist. KKypt, I, 112; isno. (Tyi>p, .\ i,.f nhico, I„) 

 SivtiKjilij; SwAiNN,, Cliissir. IS. II, 1837, 1>. 21tt. (Type, Strix ciiterra, (i.MKi,.) 

 ? Ciivalid, Wa(ii,. Isis, 1.S31. (Tvpc, SIriv hithuh, Dauii.) 

 1 J'idsiili-ii; Kaii', 184!I. {SirU loi-ijiiiilds, Daiii.) 



fiKN. CiiAii. Size varyiiif,' I'roin iiir(liiiiii to vciy liir^c. No cnr-tu(ts. Head very Inrjrp, 



the cyoH uoiiipanitivi'ly 

 sniall. Four to six oiitcr 

 priiiiarics with llicir inner 

 WL'lis siiinated. Tarsi ami 

 up|)('r portion, or the whole 

 of tiio toes, densely elolheil 

 with hair- like leathers. 

 Tail considerably more 

 than half as Ion;; ns the 

 win<r, decidedly rounded. 

 Ear-orifiee very hiffli, hut 

 not so liif,di as the skull, 

 and rnrni.shed with an an- 

 terior opprculnm, which does not usually extend alonn; the full len<»tli; the tw^o ears 

 n.syiinnetrieal. liill yellow. 



Subgenera. 



Scotiaptex. Six outer quills with their inner wohs cmarfjinated. Toos completely 

 con( aled liy dense long hair-like feathers. Iris yellow. (Type, S. rinereum.) 



Syrnium, Swaisson. Five outer (juills with their inner webs eniarginated. Toes not 

 completely concealed by feathers ; sometimes nearly naked ; terminal scutellii; always (?) 

 exposed. Iris blackish. (Type, S. uhtco.') 



The typical species of this geuus are confined to tlie Northern Ilenii- 

 spheru. It is yet iloiil)tfiil whetlier 

 the Tropical American species 

 usually referred to this genus 

 really belong here. Tlie genera 

 C'icruba, Wagl., and Pulsafvu', 

 Ivau}), liavo been instituted to in- 

 clude most of them ; but whellier 

 tliese are generically or only sub- 

 generically distinct from tlie 

 ty])ical sjjccies of Sj/rnimii re- 

 mains to be decided. 



Our >S'. nihidusum and ^S'. occi- 

 (Icn/dlc seem to l)e strictly con- 

 generic witli the *S'. alucci, the 

 type of tlie subgenus Si/rnittm, since they agree in the minutest particulars 

 in regard to their external form, and other characters not specific. 



St/rnium Hebiihsum. 



