132 URAL OWL. 
Order I.— EAPACES. 
Division II. — Rapaces — Nocturne. 
Family STBIGIBjE. ( Bonaparte. J 
Genus — Syrnium. fSavigny.J 
Sub-genus — Ptynx. (Blasius. ) 
Generic Characters. — Head without tufts; bill slightly bending from the 
base. Nostrils large. Facial disc large and complete; auditory opening 
defended by an operculum. Wings short and rounded; the first quill 
feather very short, the fourth the longest. Tail long, concave beneath. 
Legs and toes feathered; claws curved, long, and sharp. 
URAL OWL. 
Syrnium Uralense. 
Syrnium Uralense, Pallas. Naumann. Gould. 
Strix Uralensis, Pallas. Gmelin. Temminck. 
" " Schlegel. Bree, first ed. 
" liturata, Retzius. Vieillot. Degland. 
" macroura, Natterer. Meyer and Wolf. 
Chouette de VOural, Of the French. 
Specific Characters. — Head large and much feathered ; facial disc round ; 
eyes small; tail very long and tapered; plumage grey brown, not tawny, 
varied with white above; white spotted longitudinally with brown below. 
Length twenty-three inches; spread of wings three feet nine inches; tail 
twelve inches, extending beyond the closed wings five inches, long and 
pointed: first quill shorter than tenth, second equal to seventh, third 
rather shorter than sixth, fifth longest. — Wheelwright. 
The Owls form a family perfectly distinct and natural. In their 
external form, in their internal anatomy, and in their habits, they 
are placed by the wisdom of their Creator in a group isolated among 
the families of the feathered tribes. 
