CHAP. XVIII.] 
BIRDS. 
351 
In Mr. Sharpe’s Catalogue (published while this work was 
passing through the press) the genera of Owls are reduced to 19, 
arranged in two families — Strigidge, containing our last two 
genera, and Bubonidae, comprising the remainder. The species 
are increased to 190; but some genera are reduced, as Btrix, 
which is said to contain only 5 species. 
General Remarks on the Distribution of the Accipitres. 
The Birds of Prey are so widely distributed over the world’s 
surface that their general distribution calls for few remarks. Of 
the four families all but one are cosmopolites, Vultures alone being 
absent from the Australian region, as well as from Xndo-Malaya 
and Madagascar. If we take the sub-families, we find that each 
region has several which are confined to it. The only parts of 
the world where there is a marked deficiency of Accipitres is in 
the islands of the Pacific ; and it may be noted, as a rule, that 
these birds are more abundant in continents than in islands. 
There is not so much difference between the number of Birds of 
Prey in tropical and temperate regions, as is found in most 
other groups of land-birds. North America and Europe have 
about 60 species each, while India has about 80, and South 
America about 120. The total number of Accipitres is 550 
comprised in 104 genera, and 4 (or perhaps more properly 5) 
families. In this estimate I have not included the Serpen- 
tariidse, containing the Secretary Bird of Africa, as there is 
some doubt whether it really belongs to the Order. 
Order VIII. — GRALL2E. 
Family 99. — BALLIDiE, (18 Genera, 153 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
Neotropical 
Sub-regions. 
Nearctic 
Sub-regions, 
PALjEARCTIC 
Sub-regions. 
Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. 
Oriental 
Sub-regions. 
Australian 
Sub-regions. 
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 
1 . 2 . 3 .4 
1 . 2 . 3 .4 
1 . 2 . 3 .4 
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 
The Bails are among the most widely distributed families of 
birds, many of the genera being cosmopolitan, and several of the 
