BY DR. T. T. KAUP. 
is of middle length. The toes are feathered or naked, covered with 
scales or bristle-feathers ; they are very often short and more adapted 
for catching prey than for running on the ground. The exterior toe 
can be moved at will from the front to the back. The inner toe is 
generally as long as the middle toe, and longer than among the 
Faleonide, The sole of the tocs is broad and warty, and the claws 
are sharp pointed. 
In their osteology, the Owls have among the Rapaces the pecu- 
liarity that the ossa communicantia have a third articulation, by 
which they are connected with a leaf-like protuberance of the os 
basilare. Such a third articulation we find also in the Caprimul- 
gine, Scolopacide, Anatide, Columbide, and in the genera Ostra- 
legus and Hemipodius. 
The bone-covers over the eyes, which we find in the most of the 
Falconide are wanting in the Owls, because the cellular lachry- 
mal bones are not so developed and go forwards like a thorn. 
The eyes have in the sclerotica a chain with bone links, and one 
eye is divided from the other by a thick cellular wall, which is 
very thick in the genus Strix. 
The soft parts of the Owls have not yet been very accurately 
compared with the other families of Rapaces, and we know only 
that they have long ewea. 
As the representants of the respiration type, their whole respi- 
ratory organs ought to be compared with those of the other families 
of Rapaces, 
The Owls are spread pretty equally over the whole world. The 
number in Europe is now 12-18, in Africa 17-18, in Asia near 40, 
mm America 38-40, Australia 10-12. 
Some of them, as the Surnia nyctea and ulula are spread over 
the northern parts of Europe, Asia and America. Strix candida 
‘S common to Asia and Africa, and Asia and Australia have the 
Strix delicatula, The Otus brachyotus has the most extended range, 
4S We find it in every part of the world except Australia. 
As regards the genera, Europe and Africa haye the same 
number, 8,—(1.) Nyctale, (2.) Athene, (8.) Surnia, (4.) Scops, 
(6.) Otus, (6.) Bubo, (7.) Strix, and (8.) Syrnium. Asia, and 
Perhaps America, has all these genera, and the two others, Glau- 
cidium and Zevaglaux. Australia is the poorest country for genera, 
Ve have only Zevaglaux, Scops, and Strix. 
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