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Order II. ACCIPITRES. 



Suborder STRIGES. 

 Family STRXGID-ffi. 



Genus STRIX. 



Strix, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 133 (1766). 



Aluco apud Fleming, Brit. Anim. i. p. 57 (1828). 



Ulula apud Jardine in Wils. Amer. Orn. ii. p. 264 (1832). 



Eustrinx apud Webb & Berthelot, Orn. Canar. p. 8 (1841). 



I have followed Mr. Sharpe (Cat. Strig. Brit. Mus. p. 1) in dividing the Owls into two families — 

 Strigidse and Bubonidse, the first of which contains of European genera only the genus Strix, all 

 the remaining genera being ranged under the Bubonidse. This genus contains only one species, 

 Strix flainmea, whose range, habits, &c. are given in extenso in the following article. 



This bird, which is the type of the genus, has the bill straight at the base, sharply decurved 

 towards the tip, under mandible notched ; nostrils oval, oblique, covered by rather stiff feathers 

 directed forwards; facial disk large and complete; ear-conch very large, semicircular, with 

 an anterior, erect, semicircular, subtruncate operculum ; head smooth, with no ear-tufts ; the 

 wings long and broad, the second quill longest, the first and third about equal ; tail short, 

 even ; legs long, rather slender, covered with short downy feathers to the base of the toes ; 

 toes strong and large, sparsely covered with a few bristly feathers, hind toe reversible ; claws 

 long, curved, acute, grooved underneath ; middle toe serrated on the inner edge. 



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