1837.] On some new Genera of Rapt ores. 369 



maxilla cut out by large nasal fossae. Nares longitudinal and lunated. 

 Valve of the ear definite, tetragonal. "Wings long, feeble, exceeding 

 the short and feeble tail : 2nd quill longest. Tarsi long, slender, 

 partially implumose. External toe basally connected as in Falco. 

 Central talon pectinated. 



Type, S. Flammea. 



Otus. 



Head more or less egretted. Bill short, wholly arched on the 

 culmen, high and deep at the base. Valve of the ear indefinite, 

 confluent with the immense valvular disc, the opposite sides of which 

 are connected over the ear passage by a membranous ligament. 

 Wings long, feeble, scarcely or not at all exceeding the tail ; 2nd 

 quill longest ; 1st strongly notched near the tip. Tarsi and toes short 

 and plumose. 



Types, Otus Vulgaris et Brachyotus. 



Sub-typical group. 



Disc and conch medial, perfect. Ears smaller, operculated. 



Genus Scops. 



Bill short, arched from the base, nostrils round, tumid. Head 

 egretted. Ears simple, small*. Wings medial, sub-equal to the tail : 

 3rd and 4th quills sub-equal and longest. Toes feeble, nude, sub- 

 depressed. Plumage soft and vermiculated. Size small. Habits 

 insectivorous and nocturnal. 



Instances. Scops Sunia, Scops Lettia\, Scops Pennata, nob. Nos. 

 64, 66, 721, respectively. 



Aberrant group. 



Disc and conch evanescent. Ears small and simple. 



Noctua. 



Bill short, arched from the base. Nostrils round, very tumid,. 

 sometimes tubular. Head smooth. Toes hairy, feeble, and sub- 

 depressed. Wings short, scarcely exceeding the base of the tail ; 4th 

 quill longest. Tail slightly elongated, rounded. Plumage firm and 

 lineated. Size small. Insectivorous and noctural. 



Instances. N. Cuculo'ides, Gould ; N. Auribarbis ; N. Tarayensis • 

 N. Perlineata ; N. Tubiger, nob. Nos. 67, 63. 707, 486, respectively. 



* Small and simple with reference to the group. The ears are, in fact, nearly 

 twice as large as in the proximate genus Noctua, which I have ranged in the 

 aberrant group. 



f Scops Lettia is possibly the Asio auctorum : but there is no safe quoting of 

 species from books. Asio has been made a Scops, an Otus, or any thing else, 

 at the discretion of the discreet t 



