SURNINiE. 
Nyctea Steph .* 
Bill short, mostly concealed by the frontal plumes, the culmen arched to the tip, which is hooked 
and acute, the sides compressed ; the nostrils entirely hidden by plumes. Wings rather long, with the 
third quill the longest. Tail short, broad, and rounded at the end. Tarsi short, thick, and densely 
plumed. Toes short, stout, and thickly clothed with downy feathers ; the claws very long, curved, » n 
acute. 
The type of this genus is an inhabitant of the arctic circle, migrating to the North of Europe and America. I* 13 
usually observed in the open barren places, where it sits on the ground, and, if disturbed, only takes a short flight an 
again alights, but it sometimes seeks the high trees, especially when watching the hunter, that it may take the OPP 1 ^ 
tunity of seizing a portion of his spoil. It hunts principally during the day time, and strikes its prey with its foot win e 
on the wing. Its food consists of hares, rabbits, mice, ducks, and grouse, and even carrion. It has been observed 0 
frequent the shores and banks of shallow rivers, over the surface of which it slowly sails, or sits on a stone slight ■ y 
raised above the water watching the approach of a fish, which it seizes with a sudden and instantaneous stroke of t 1(3 
foot, seldom missing its aim. It builds upon high rocks or on the ground. The female deposits from two to four egg s > 
of which two only are usually hatched. 
N. nivea (Thunb.) PI. enl. 458., Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 43., M ils. 
Amer. Orn. pi. 23. f. 1. — Strix nyctea Linn. ; S. Candida Lath. ; 
Nyctea erminea Steph. Le Vaill. Ois. d’Afr. t. 45., Vieill. Ois. d Am 
Sent. t. 18., Audub. B. of Amer. pi. 121. 
Athene Boie. f 
Bill short, partly concealed by the projecting plumes, the sides compressed, the culmen much arched 
to the tip, which is hooked and acute ; the nostrils basal, lateral, and hidden by the frontal pluto eS ' 
Wings rather long and rounded, with the third and fourth quills the longest. Tail moderate and nearly 
even. Tarsi longer than the middle toe, and covered with plumes. Toes short, and covered with scatter^ 
hairs ; the claws long, arched, and acute. 
The birds that compose this genus are most generally found in the more genial parts of both hemispheres. ^ 
usually remain quiet during the day, but become active as soon as the sun has passed the horizon. It is in rums, chu 
towers, or caves, or under roofs of houses, and in the thick forests, even to the great height of 17,000 feet above the sefo 
that they reside. Some species are observed on lofty trees, and fly about actively in the day time ; others P re f er ^ 
twilight and even the night time to seek their food, which consists of insects, small mammalia, and birds. The m se 
are, says Mr. Jerdon, sometimes taken on the wing, or snapped olf the ground or the trunk of a tree, during their low s 
undulating flight. They emit cries during the night, and even in the day, from their hiding-places. The nests <‘ l 
concealed in ruins or in the forests. The eggs are usually from two to four in number. 
1. A. noctua (Retz.) PI. enl. 439-, Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 48. — 
Strix passerina Lath. ; Noctua glaux Sav. ; S. nudipes Nils. Edw. 
Birds, pi. 228. ; Noctua veterum Licht. 
2. A. brama (Temra.) PI. col. 68. — Strix indica Frank!. ; 
Noctua tarayeusis Hodgs. 
3. A. cuculoides (Vigors), Proc. Z. S. 1830. 8., Gould, ^ ent 
Birds, pi. 4. . er . 
4. A. erythroptera Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1837- 136. — Strix 
lineata Hodgs. ; S. radiata Tick. ; S. cuculoides Jerd. 
5. A. auribarbls (Hodgs.) Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 1837-3®' 
* Established by Mr. Stephens in 1825 (Gen. Zoo/, xiii. 62.). . .. c 0 f M r ' 
•t M. Boie established this genus (Isis) in 1822. Carine of M. Kaup (1829), Nychpetes of Mr. Swatnson (1837), and Ninox 
Hodgson (1837) are synonymous with the name employed. It embraces Glaucidium of M. Boie (1826). 
3 H 
