192 



KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



or less longitudinal blotches of brownish or rusty color. The 

 tarsus is longer than the middle toe, very bristly with hairs in 

 front, and naked behind. 



Length, 6; wing, 4} (4-4J) ; tail, 2*- ; tarsus, | ; culmen, j'j. Southern 

 'I'exas to southern California, and south to Mexico. 



FAMILY XXVIIL BARN OWLS (STRIGIDJE) 



A very small family (8 species) of owls, with triangular- 

 shaped eye disks, a saw-toothed nail to the middle toe, and 

 very downy plumage. Our only species is so nocturnal in 

 its linbits, and in the daytime so well able to hide from obser- 

 vation, that, though not rare, it is sel- 

 dom seen. The peculiar form of face, 

 due to the eye disks, gives it some- 

 what the appearance of a monkey. 



1. American Barn Owl (366. Strix 

 2')rat'iucola). — A large night-flying, 

 monkey-faced, black-eyed, brownish 

 owl, with fine mottlings of white and 

 black and no ear tufts. It has been 

 said to appear like a closely hooded, 

 toothless old woman with a hooked 

 nose. Its food consists almost entirely 

 of mice and other small mammals. 



Length, 15-21 ; wing, ISJ (12.1-14) ; tail, 

 6J, ; tar.sus, 2}; culmen, 1}. United States, 

 more abundant soutli of New York ; breed- 

 ing from Pennsylvania southward, and very rare in southern New Eng- 

 land. Not migratory. 



American Barn Owl 



FAMILY XXIX. HAWKS, EAGLES, VULTURES, ETC. (FAL- 



CONIDTE) 



This is the largest family {?>~^() species) of the birds of prey 

 (liaptores), and representatives are found in all lands. The 

 American species can be naturally divided into seven groups, 



