ACCIPITRES. 



175 



which is exceeded in size only by others of this genus. It is little less than the Golden Eagle, and very destruc- 

 tive to Grouse, Hares, and even Fawns : inhabits the mountainous parts of Europe, and is seldom seen in 

 Britain.] Add 



The American Bubow (Str. virghiia7ia, Daud.)— [Smaller than the preceding, with the grey colour predominating 

 over the fulvous : the Arctic Eagle-owl of the Fauna Americana-borealis appears to be only a semi-albino variety. 

 Another species is 



The Small-tufted Bubow (.S/r. ascalaphus, Savigny), inadvertently placed by the author in his division Otus. It 

 is proper to Asia and Africa, and is occasionally met with in the south-east of Europe. There are several more, 

 certain of which appear to compose the Huhua and Urrlma of Hodgson.] 



Other species occur, in which the aigrettes, wider apart and placed further backward, are elevated 

 with less facility above the horizontal line. Species occur in both continents ; as 



Str. griseata, Shaw, from Guiana ; and Str. strepitans, 

 Tem., from Batavia. 



NocTUA*, Savigny. 



Neither tufts, nor an open and deeply set conch to 

 the ear ; the aperture of which is oval, and scarcely 

 longer than in other Birds : the disk of fringed fea- 

 thers is smaller and even less complete than in the 

 Bubows. Their relations to the diurnal Birds of 

 prey are evident, even in their habits, [but not in 

 their internal conformation]. 



Some are remarkable for a long cuneiform tail, 

 and have their toes densely feathered. They are 



The Surns (Siirnia, Dumeril) — 



The Rayed Sum (Str. nisoria. Wolf; Str. funerea, Lin.). 



— This, the best-known species, from the north of the 



whole globe, is about the size of the Sparrow-hawk. It 



Fig. S3.— Howiefs Ear. hunts more during the day than the night. 



The species of the Uralian mountains (Str. uralensis, 

 Pallas), is nearly as large as the Harfang. It also hunts during the day, and is sometimes seen in Germany. It 

 is probably the Ilybris or Pfynx of Aristotle.f 



There is a species termed Arcadian (Str. acadica, Naum), but which belongs to the whole north of the Globe [?] 

 It is the smallest of its tribe, being hardly larger than a Sparrow. It does not avoid the light of day; but Le Vail- 

 lant has made known another, from Africa (le Choucou, No. -x.xxviii.), which, according to his account, is very 

 nocturnal. [The former is the Str. passerlna of Linna;us, but not of British authors, and the Str. acadica of 

 Temminck, but not of Gmelin ; it is referrible to the Glaucidium of Boie, 

 and is not found in America : the Str. acadica, Gm., is peculiar to 

 America, and pertains to a very different subdivision, Nyctale of Brehm, 

 the members of which are considerably more nocturnal in their habits 

 and adaptments. To the latter group the Choucou of Le Vaillant 

 should also probably be referred. Ninox of Hodgson seems to be iden- 

 tical with Glaucidium.] 



Others have the tail short, and the toes densely feathered : 

 the largest of which, and also the largest night-bird without 

 head-tufts, is 



The Harfang (Str. ni/ctca, Lin.), or Great Snowy Owl, which almost 

 equals the European Bubow in its dimensions. It inhabits the north 

 of both continents, nestles on elevated rocks, and preys on Hares, Ca- 

 percalzies, and Ptarmigan. [This bird forms another very distinct 

 division, and is most nearly allied to the Bubows : like them, it does 

 l)ossess head-tufts, which however are small and inconspicuous, though 

 we have seen the bird erect them; its plumage is remarkably firm. 

 The term Niictea, Swainson, has been generically applied to it, with the 

 specific appellation Candida.'] 



Fig. 84.— Sternum of Harfane. 



* This term is falling into disuse, from its having been previously | oi \t,\n\hG Birds of Europr, — shoulil be disposed to elevate it to the 

 iostowert on a group of insects: it is moreover far from being feli- [ rank of a separate division (Pfynj-); its large and complete rufT distin- 

 itous, as applied to the most diurnal of the Onls.— Ed. I guishcs it from Surnia, as its accipitrine form and lengthened tail do 



+ The Prince of Musignano places this ri-m.arkable bird in Syrmiim. \ from Syruium or C'lula.—Eo. 



Ii:ive iii-vcr seen a specimen, but— to judge from Mr. Gould's figure ' 



