364 On some new Genera of Raptores. [May, 



characters, the great disc and operculated ears — as a conspicuous 

 type. Yet hardly three months elapsed when I received from England 

 a systematic work from which Noctua is wholly expunged! Noctua, 

 however, will, 1 think, retain its place, characterised in the aberrant 

 group of the owls by short wings and firm plumage, and eading 

 througli Surnia to our Ninox, which I believe to be the least Strigine 

 bird on record. Let us now attempt to define it, as a genus belong- 

 ing to the aberrant group of the Strigidce, characterised as before. 



Genus Ninox, nob. 



Bill short, arched from the base. Nares round, anteal, apert, 

 tumid. General contour with the character of the plumage, extremely 

 Falconine. Wings long, firm, unpectenated, sub-equal to the tail : 

 3rd quill longest; 1st and 2nd very moderately gradated. Tail long, 

 firm, even. Tarsi plumose, rather short. Toes medial, depressed, 

 bordered, rigidly hirsute ; laterals equal, hind compressed. Head 

 smooth, small, and only Strigine in the size and position of the eye. 



Type, Ninox Nipalensis, nob. No. 657 



Habitat, central and lower hills. Habits, subdiurnal and insectivor- 

 ous. 



Mr. Swainson appears to have laid undue stress on the egrets of 

 the owls, which seem to me but little more influential than the 

 analogous crests of the Falconidce, and more especially of the AquilincE. 

 Disc and conch evanescent, and ears simple, are the marks of the 

 aberrant group, taken as a whole. Egrets, added to great size, ample 

 gradated wings, and a medial even tail, with powerful legs and feet 

 and talons, seem to me the subordinate signs of the Aetoglaucince or 

 aquiline sub-family of that group. Of the Falcoglaucince or sub-familv 

 typifying the Falconince, the first glimpse appears to be afforded by our 

 Ninox, which has quite the proportions and aspect of many of the 

 lesser insectivorous Falcons. Long and firm wings and tail — the 

 latter even ; and the former but slightly gradated ; and both, in a 

 word, adapted for strong flight — would seem to be necessary characters 

 of this sub-family, and they are, at all events, characters eminently 

 conspicuous in our Ninox. Between the wings of Ninox and those of 

 Strix or Otus there is just the same sort of difference as exists between 

 the wings of Falco and those of Buteo, or of Milvus — I mean as to 

 suitableness for vigorous flight, and expressly without special reference 

 to the technical form of the wing. 



The following comparative measurements of Baza, a small insecti- 

 vorous Falcon, and of Ninox, a small insectivorous Falconine owl, can 

 scarcely fail to excite interest. The measures are given in English 

 ieet and inches. 



