68 
STRIGIN^. STRIX. 
large and globular. Nostrils large, ovate, oblique. Eyes | 
very large, slightly mobile, oblique. Conch extremely large, | 
semicircular, extending from over the anterior angle of the | 
eye to the middle of the lower jaw, with an anterior erect, | 
semicircular, subtruncate operculum. Head extremely large, , 
broad behind, somewhat trigonal ; neck short ; body slender ; 
legs rather long, of moderate strength ; tarsi covered with i 
small downy feathers ; toes short, covered above with small i 
scales, together with adpressed shaft-bristles, and two or three I 
terminal scutella ; claws long, moderately curved, tapering, * 
extremely acute, that of the third toe with its inner dilated ! 
edge serrate. Plumage very full, soft, and downy ; facial i 
disks very large and complete ; ruff perfect and conspicuous ; | 
wings long, very broad ; the second quill longest, the first i 
and third slightly shorter ; all the quills with their margins | 
direct ; tail short, even, rather weak. 
The Screech-Owls have an extremely buoyant and silent i| 
flight. They are nocturnal, but are able to find their way , 
by day. Their food consists chiefly of small glires, insects, „ 
and occasionally young birds. They nestle in buildings, , 
rocks, and other high places, as well as on the ground, and ; 
lay two or three elliptical or oval white eggs. Species occur i; 
on both continents, as well as in New Holland 
30. Strix flammea. European Screech-Owl. 
Operculum margined with linear-oblong feathers ; bill 
yellowish-Avhite ; claws dark purplish-grey; upper parts light i, 
reddish -yellow, variegated with minutely mottled ash-grey, | 
and small black and white spots ; facial disks and lower parts j 
white, the latter with very small dusky spots. Young similar i; 
to the adult, but with the upper parts darker. 
Male, 14, 35, llj, IJ, 2^^, 1^, Female, 15, 28. j 
This species is more extensively distributed, and more i 
numerous in Britain, than any other of its family ; but it is : 
very seldom met with in the wilder and bleaker districts, its , 
favourite haunte being in the cultivated and sheltered parts ; 
of the country, where meadows and corn-fields foster the 
animals on which it habitually preys. Buined buildings and 
hollow trees are its usual places of abode, and there it depo- ! 
sits its eggs, from two to five in number, an inch and a half 
in length, an inch and a quarter in breadth, pure white, and ; 
smooth. The young are at first covered with white down, j 
