STRIX. OWL. 



Generic Character. 



Rostrum aduncum, absque 



cera. 

 Nares oblongae, pennis se- 



taceis recumbentibus ob- 



tectae. 

 Caput grande, auribus ocu- 



lisque magnis. 

 Lingua bifida. 

 Digitus externus retro mo- 



bilis. 



Bill hooked, without cere; 



Nostrils oblong, covered 

 with recumbent setaceous 

 feathers. 



Heady eyes, and ears large. 



Tongue bifid. 



Exterior toe moveable back- 

 wards. 



X HE alliance between the genus Strix and that 

 of Falco is extremely strong, and indeed Owls may 

 be considered as a kind of nocturnal Hawks, differ- 

 ing, as Linnaeus most happily observes, from 

 those birds, in the same manner as Moths differ 

 from Butterflies; the one being chiefly nocturnal, 

 and the other diurnal. They possess the power of 

 turning backwards at pleasure the exterior toe or 

 joint of the foot : their sense of hearing is very 

 acute, on account of the large orifices of their ears : 

 their sight, in general, is dull or feeble by day, 

 but strong during the hours of evening, or in very 

 dusky, obscure states of the atmosphere. They 

 are divided into the Horned Owls, or such as have 





