BY DR. T. T. KAUP. i: 
In this genus, which can be subdivided into five different little 
subgenera, we must find a subgenus, which has the longest wings 
and the lightest body, which is a true Night Owl, and which for the 
most part sleeps by day. 
This is the subgenus Orus with the following species :—vulgaris, 
americanus, ZONUTUS. 
In this subgenus Orus I take the common Long-eared Owl, 
OTUS VULGARIS, for the typical species. 
From this species we must abstract the characters to find out the | 
second genus in the first subfamily Swrninw, and the second sub- 
genera in all the other genera. The characters of this typical 
species are the following :—Beak feeble, and from the cere curved ; 
enormously large and asymmetric ear with a large operculum, very 
developed feather-wreath in form of circle around the ear, long 
wings, only the first quill on the end of the inner web with an emar- 
gination; the surface of the webs covered with a very soft felt; the 
exterior web of the first. quill very long and clearly dentilated like a 
comb, the body light as if filled with air, very soft flying, truly noc- 
turnal, sleeping during the day. If we take these characters we 
cannot find another genus in the subfamily Swrnine than Nyctale, 
Brehm., as one which, by its habits and colouring can have any 
other place than near to Athene and Glaucidium. 
Up to this point, however, we have only given two genera their 
true places in the two subfamilies, namely — 
A. Surnine 1... ... 2. Nyctale. 
B. Seriginge, Lu. «. -2. Onvs. 
Only an arbitrary system can give these two genera another rank. 
We must now sce which genus of the Strigide forms the first 
genus in the first subfamily Sxrnine. Which is the true manifes- 
tation of the Eye, Nerve and Head-Bird? Which has the greatest 
number of analogies with the first genus Zerax of the first subfamily 
Falconine and the first family Fulconide —a genus which has the 
most handsome skull, the largest brain, and the finest eyes ? 
It is the genus Glaweidiwm, Boie, which has the analogy with 
Zeraa, that it contains the smallest Owls of the whole family, 
and that the round nostrils are bored in the middle of the pear 
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