BIRDS STRIGINAE — STRIX PRATINCOLA. 47 
List of specimens. 
Catal. No. 
Sex and age. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Original No. 
Collected by — 
Measurements. 
Length. 
Extent. 
M 
□ 
4123 
9135 
9134 
Brownsville, Texas. 
Oyster Point, Texas. 
New Mexico 
Sept., 1853 
Feb. 27, 1854... 
Lieut. Whipple 
179 
Kennerly and 
Mollhausen. 
Family STRIGIDAE. The Owls. 
Form usually 3hort and heavy, with the head disproportionately large, and frequently furnished with erectile tufts of feathers 
resembling the ears of quadrupeds. General organization adapted to vigorous and noiseless but not rapid flight, and to the 
capture of animals in the morning and evening twilight. 
Eyes usually very large, directed forwards, and in the greater number of species formed for seeing by twilight, or in the 
night. Bill rather strong, curved, nearly concealed by projecting bristle-like feathers; wings generally long; outer edges of 
primary quills fringed ; legs generally rather short, and in all species, except in one Asiatic genus, (Ketupa,) more or less 
feathered, generally densely. Cavity of the ear very large. Face encircled by a more or less perfect disc of short rigid feathers, 
which, with the large eyes, gives to those birds an entirely peculiar and frequently cat-like expression. Female largjr than 
the male. 
There are about one hundred and fifty species of owls, which are found in all parts of the 
world, of which about forty are inhabitants of the continent of America and its islands. The 
larger species subsist on small quadrupeds and birds, but much the majority almost exclusively 
prey on insects. Though much the larger number are nocturnal, a few species are strictly 
diurnal, and in their habits seem to approach the birds of the preceding family. 
Sub-Family STRIGINAE.— T y pi c a 1 Owls. 
Size medium, never very large. Head large ; facial disc perfect ; bill rather long ; eyes 
rather small for this family ; legs rather long, fully feathered to the toes. 
STRIX, Linnaeus. 
Slrix, Linnaeus, I, p. 131, (1766.) 
Head large, without ear tufts ; eyes rather small; facial disc perfect, and very conspicuous; wings long; tarsi long; tail 
rather short ; toes and claws rather long. This genus contains about twelve species of all parts of the world. 
STRIX PRATINCOLA, Bonaparte. 
The Barn Owl. 
Strix pratincola, Bonap. Comp. List, p. 7, (1838.) 
Strix Americana, Aud. Orn. Biog. II, p. 421, (1834, not of Gmelin 1788.) 
Figures.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VI, pi. 50, fig. 2 ; Aud. B. of Am., pi. 171 .-^Oct. ed. I, pi. 34 ; Nat. Hist. New York, Birds, 
pi. 13, fig. 28. 
