ACCIPITRES. 
175 
which is exceeded in size only by others of this genus. It is little less than the Golden Eagle, and very destruc- 
tive to Grouse, Hares, and even Fawns : inhabits the mountainous parts of Europe, and is seldom seen in 
Britain.] Add 
The American Bubow (Str. virginiana, Baud,)— [Smaller than the preceding, with the grey colour predominating 
over the fulvous : the Arctic Eagle-owl of the Fauna Americana-borealis appears to be only a semi-albino variety. 
Another species is 
The Small-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 Huhua and TJrrhua of Hodgson.] 
Other species occur, in which the aigrettes, wider apart and placed further backward, are elevated 
with less facility above the horizontal line. Species occur in both continents ; as 
Str. griseata, Shaw, from Guiana ; and Str. strepitanSf 
Tern., from Batavia. 
Noctua*, Savigny. 
Neither tufts, nor an open and deeply set conch to 
the ear ; the aperture of which is oval, and scarcely 
longer than in other Birds : the disk of fringed fea- 
thers is smaller and even less complete than in the 
Bubows. Their relations to the diurnal Birds of 
prey are evident, even in their habits, [but not in 
their internal conformation]. 
Some are remarkable for a long cuneiform tail, 
and have their toes densely feathered. They are 
The Surns (Surnia, Dumeril) — 
The Rayed Sum {Str.nisoria, Wolf; Str. funerea, Lin.). 
— This, the best-known species, from the north of the 
whole globe, is about the size of the Sparrow-hawk. It 
Fig^. 83 .— Howiet’s Ear. huuts more during the day than the night. 
The species of the Uralian mountains {Str. uralensis, 
j Pallas), is nearly as large as the Harfang. It also hunts during the day, and is sometimes seen in Germany. It 
is probably the Hybris or Ptynx of Aristotle.f 
j There is a species termed Arcadian {Str. acadica, Naum), but which belongs to the whole north of the Globe [? ] 
I 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 Africa {le Choucou, No. xxxviii.), which, according to his account, is very 
' nocturnal. [The former is the Str. passerina of Linnaeus, but not 0; 
I I Temminck, but not of Gmelin ; it is referrible to the Glaucidium of Boi^, 
j and is not found in America: the Str. acadica, Gm., is peculiar to 
j[ America, and pertains to a very dilferent subdivision, Nyctale of Brehm, 
I the members of which are considerably more nocturnal in their habits 
and adaptments. To the latter group the Choucou of Le Vaillant 
i' should also probably be referred. Ninox of Hodgson seems to be iden- 
■1 tical with Glaucidium.] 
|i Others have the tail short, and the toes densely feathered : 
i the largest of which, and also the largest night-bird without 
head-tufts, is 
|i The Harfang {Str. nyctea, Lin.), or Great Snowy Owl, which almost 
:| equals the European Bubow in its dimensions. It inhabits the north 
I of both continents, nestles on elevated rocks, and preys on Hares, Ca- 
j! percalzies, and Ptarmigan. [This bird forms another very distinct 
j! division, and is most nearly allied to the Bubows : like them, it does 
possess head-tufts, which however are small and inconspicuous, though 
1! we have seen the bird erect them ; its plumage is remarkably firm. 
I The term Nyctea, Swainson, has been generically applied to it, with the 
I specific appellation Candida.] 
* This term is falling into disuse, from its having been previously 
bestorved on a group of insects: it is moreover far from being feli- 
citous, as applied to the most diurnal of the Owls. — Ed. 
+ The Prince of Musignano places this remarkable bird in Syrnium. 
I have never seen a speciTiien, but— to judge from Mr. Gould’s figure 
of it, in the Birds of Europe , — should be disposed to elevate it to the 
rank of a separate division (Ptyna); its large and complete ruff distin- 
guishes it from Surnia, as its accipitrine form and lengthened tail do 
from Syrnium or Ulula . — Ed. 
