( 27 ) 
FAMILY 11. NOCTURNE. 
GENUS I. STRIX. 
SUB-GENERA. 
1. Strix, Xw. 
Orifice of the ear A large circle of fine 
large. feathers round the 
eyes. Small collar of 
I scaly feathers. 
2. NocTUA, Savigny. 
Orifice of the ear 
oval, and not much Circle of feathers 
larger than in other small and imperfect, 
hirds.p. 29. 
The Sub-genus Strix may be divided according to the egrets, 
the size of the ears, the extent of the circle of feathers which sur- 
rounds the eyes, and some other characters. 
Those species which have a large complete disk of fine feathers, 
encircled by a small collar of scaly feathers, and, between the two, 
a large orifice of the ear, are more distant in form and manners 
from the Diurnce, than those whose ears are small, oval, and 
covered by fine feathers which come from below the eye. We 
observe traces of these differences even in the skeleton, (i) 
The Sub-genus Noctua has not the wide and deep conch of 
the ear, the orifice of which is oval scarcely bigger than that of 
other birds ; the disk of fine feathers is less large and less perfect. 
(1) Beak compressed^ base encircled by a cera, covered entirely, 
or in part by rude hairs. Nostrils lateral, pierced on the anterior 
edge of the cera, rounded, open, hid by hairs directed in front. Iris 
brilliant; wings a little pointed, the first remiges dentated on their 
exterior edge; the first the shortest, the second not reaching the ex- 
tremity of the third, which is the longest ; their eyes are dazzled by 
the light of the sun, but they see very well during the day. The 
bones, hairs, and feathers of their prey, after the flesh has been well 
digested; are rejected in little balls. — Te7n. 
G 
