28 MANUAL 



the feet are never truly two in front and two behind [(zygo- 

 dactyle), though one of the front feet in the Owls moves back- 

 ward sufficiently for these birds to sit on a perch and clasp 

 their prey as they fly with two feet in front and two behind, 

 thus appearing only to be zygodactyle]. The student of os- 

 teology will find several distinctive characters exclusively 

 pertaining to this order, and even in the different sub-orders. 



The Birds of Prey are usually separated into 



A THE NOCTURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 



containing the Sub-order 



1 STRIGIDES or OWLS 



B THE DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 



containing the Sub-orders 



2 ACCIPITRES or FALCONS HAWLS EAG-LES 



3 CATHARTIDES or VULTURES 



The Nocturnal Birds of Prey are at once distinguished from 

 the Diurnal Birds of Prey, by the peculiar shape of the feath- 

 ers about and around the eye, by the bristly feathers about the 

 bill, the reversible outer front toe, and the soft, fluffy plumage 

 of the Owls (Nocturnal) compared with the clean-cut bill and 

 cere, the tough-skinned feet, and the rough, hard plumage of 

 the Hawks, etc. (Diurnal) Birds of Prey. The Sub-orders 

 are three. 



Sub-order 1 STRIGIDES or Owls 



Latin strix, a screech owl ; Greek strigx, a screech. 

 The Owls are not easily mistaken for birds of either of the 

 other sub-orders of this order. The radiating disc of feath- 

 ers surrounding the eyes ; eyes large, soft, and watery ; the 

 bristly feathers almost hiding the bill ; the tomia of upper 

 mandible without tooth or notch ; the nostrils partly in the 

 horn of the bill and partly in the cere ; with reversible outer 

 front toe ; legs feathered nearly or quite to the toes ; together 



