276 SHORT-EARED OWL 



their outline decurved, and with an abrupt sinus on each side close to 

 the truncate tip. Nostrils medial, lateral, large, oblique, elliptical ; in 

 the fore part of the cere near the ridge, with a tough soft membrane 

 above, and having internally a ridge curved backwards from the inner 

 edge. 



Head very large, flattened anteriorly ; neck short ; body very slen- 

 der, although, as in other Owls, seeming large on account of the great 

 mass of plumage. Feet of moderate length, stout ; tarsi feathered, 

 short ; toes also short and feathered ; the first shortest, the third long- 

 est, the fourth considerably shorter than the second. Claws long, 

 slightly arched, tapering, extremely acute, rounded above, very narrow 

 beneath, the first and second rounded, the rest flat ; that of the fourth 

 toe smallest, of the first slightly larger, those of the other toes much 

 larger and nearly equal. 



Plumage extremely soft and downy. The facial disks complete, 

 and composed of circular series of weak, slender, slightly recurved 

 feathers, having remote barbs ; surrovmding which is a ruff formed of 

 several rows of oblong incurved feathers, having their filaments close. 

 The bill is partially concealed by the plumage ; the feathers on the 

 head and neck oblong, on the fore part of the back elongated and ob- 

 long, on the hind part short, broad, and entirely downy ; on the tibia 

 short, extremely soft, and silky ; on the tarsi and toes small, soft, and 

 blended. Wings long and broad ; primaries very broad, rounded, with 

 , slender shafts, the outer a little incurved towards the end ; the first 

 sinuate on the -inner web near the end, the second slightly so ; the 

 second longest, the third a quarter of an inch shorter, the fourth shorter 

 than the first ; secondaries slightly decurved, broad and rounded. The 

 outer quill in its whole length, the second towards the end, and the 

 first alular feather, have the barbs disunited and recurved at the pomts ; 

 and the inner webs of the quills and tail-feathers are covered with ex- 

 tremely soft down. Tail rather short, slightly decurved, a little rounded, 

 of twelve broad, rounded feathers, having feeble shafts. 



Bill brownish-black, cere flesh-coloured ; iris bright yellow ; claws 

 black, with a tinge of greyish-blue. The eye is surrounded by a ring 

 of brownish-black, much broader behind ; the anterior half of the disk 

 is white, the tips black, the posterior yellowish with black shafts. The 

 anterior auricular ruff is white, the posterior yellowish, each feather 

 with 9,n, oblong dark brown spot. The upper part of the head, the hind 



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