STRIGIN^. STRIX. 
69 
Several broods are produced annually. It feeds chiefly on 
mice. Its cry is a harsh shriek, and, like the other species, 
it hisses when irritated or alarmed. 
Barn Owl. Church Owl. Screech Owl. White OwL 
Giliihowter. Howlet. 
Strix flammea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 133. — Strix flammea, 
Temm. Man. d’Ornith. i. 91 ; iii. 48. — Strix flammea, Euro- 
pean Screech-Owl, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, iii. 473, 
It will be very apparent to e very person who has examined 
a considerable number of birds, and observed their habits, 
that each of the three groups above described forms a very 
natural family, and that these groups, on being put together, 
form a very natural order, which is well defined, and does not 
very obviously blend into any other, although indications of 
aflSnity to other groups are everywhere perceptible. Thus, 
some Owls are A^ery evidently allied to some Goatsuckers, and 
some Hawks are related to Shrikes. Were we to predeter- 
mine a t 3 rpical number, and assume it to be three, we might 
plausibly enough institute analogies, and discover a ternary 
disposition throughout. Thus, to constitute another order, 
the Cypselin^ or Swifts would represent the Vultures, the 
Hirundin^ or Swallows might answer for the Hawks, and 
the Caprimulgin^ or Goatsuckers for the Owls. It does, in 
fact, appear, that these three groups, although they differ con- 
siderably in the structure of the digestive organs and skele- 
ton, form a natural enough order, to which I have elsewhere 
given the name of Y olitatores or Gliders. Whether there 
be truth in this or not, these Volitatores may now occupy our 
attention as well as any other group. Although birds are 
both masculine and fdminine, yet, as the Homans held their 
Aves to be of the latter gender, I shall, in deference to their 
better knowledge of their own language, modify the names 
which I have given to the larger groups, or orders. These 
Orders may be considered as analogous to the groups called 
Natural Families by Botanists, and the Families as corres- 
ponding to their Tribes. 
