ACCIPITRES. 



175 



wliich is exceeded in size only by others of this penus. It is litlle less than the Golden Eagle, and very destruc- 

 tive to GroQse, Hares, and even Fawns: inhabits the mountainous parts of Europe, and is seldom seen in 

 Britain.] Add 



The American Bubow (Sfr. rirginiana, Daud.)— [Smaller than the precediiip;-, with the [!;rey colour predominating 

 over the fulvous : the Arctic Eagle-owl of the Fauna Americana- boreaHn appears to be only a semi-albino variety. 

 Another species is 



The Sniall-tufted Bubow {Str. ascalaphus^ Savigny), inadvertently placed by the author in his division Otus. It 

 is proper to Asia and Africa, and is occasionally met with in the south-east of Europe. There are several more, 

 certain of which appear to compose the Ihihua and Vrrhija of Hodt;son.] 



Other species occur, in -vvhich the aigrettes, widei apart and placed further backward, are elevated 

 with less facility above the horizontal line. Species occur in both continents ; as 



5ir. i/riiea^cr, Shaw, from Guiana ; and Str. sfrepitans, 

 Tern., from Batavia. 



NocTUA*, Savigny. 



Neither tufts, nor an open and deeply set conch to 

 the ear ; the aperture of \vhich is oval, and scarcely 

 longer than in other Birds : the disk of fringed fea- 

 thers is smaller and even less complete than in the 

 Bubovi's. Their relations to the diurnal Birds of 

 prey are evident, even in their habits, [bat not in 

 their internal conformation]. 



Some are remarkable for a long cuneiform tail, 

 and have their toes densely feathered. Tliey are 



The Surns (Suntia, Dumeril) — 



The Rayed Surn (Str.nisoria,'S\o]f; Str. /Knerea,!.^.). 



—This, the best-known species, from the north of the 



whole globe, is about the size of the Sparrow-hawk. It 



FiL'.sa.— Howiet's Ear, hunts more during the day than the night. 



The species of the Uralian mountains (Str. uralensisy 

 Pallas), is nearly as large as the Harfang. It also hunts durmg the day, and is sometimes seen in Gemiany. It 

 is probably the Ili/bris or Pt>inx of Aristotle. t 



There is a species termed Arcadian {Str. ocadica, Naum). batwhich belongs to the whole north of the Globe [? ] 

 It is the smallest of its tribe, being hardly larger than a Sparrow, it does not avoid the light of day; but Le Vail- 

 lant has made known another, from Mvicd. {le Choucouy No. xxxviii.), which, according to his account, is very 

 nocturnal. [The former is the Str. pax-serhia of Liimjeus, but not of British authors, and the Str. acadica of 

 Temuiinck, but not of GmeUn; it is referrihle to the Glaucidium oil^oit, 

 and is not found in America: the Str. acadica^ Gm., is peculiar to 

 America, and pertains to a very ditferent subdivision, Nyctale oi 'QKthva, 

 the members of which are considerably more nocturnal in their habits 

 and adaptments. To the latter group the Choucou of Le Vaillant 

 should also probably be referred. Ninoj' of Hodgson seems to be iden- 

 tical with Glaiicidium.] 



Others have the tail short, and the toes densely feathered : 

 the largest of \vhich, and also the largest night-bu-d without 

 head-tufts, is 



The Harfang (Str. 7n/ctca, Lin.), or Great Snovjy Out, which almost 

 equals the European Bubow in its dimensions. It inhabits the north 

 of both continents, nestles on elevated rocks, and preys on Hares, Ca- 

 percalzies, and Ptarmigan. [This bird forms another very distinct 

 division, and is most nearly allied to the Bubo.vs: like them, it does 

 possess head-tufts, which however are small and inconspicuous, though 

 we have seen the bird erect them ; its plumage is remarkably firm. 

 The term Nj/ctea, Swainson, has been generically applied to it, with the 

 specific appellation Candida.] 



i Ui\ 



Tito cJis 



se, from ils hnvin^' liven pn 



In the Birds f,/ Ell 



;d OH li R~ouii of insects ; it is moreover fir from bein^ 

 ns applied tn tlie most diurval of the Oivls.— Ed. 

 ? Prinee of Musi^iiano places this remarkable bini in Syn 

 jex'cr hcen ii specimen, but — to judj;c from Mr. Gould's ' 



I g^uislies It from 

 from Syrniuiii i 



Fig. 34. — Sternum of Harffinif, 



'.^sliouKl be disposed to elevatt 

 on iPli/vj): its large and conipleEc i 

 Rs its accipitrJDe form und lengdicj 



