Order— STRIGIFOEMES. 
The members of this Order have proved of great interest to the systematist, 
as superficially they recall birds of the preceding Order and are here ranged 
alongside, though it is generally accepted that they are not so closely related 
as might be concluded from this approximation. For many years they were 
only regarded as being worthy of family rank in the Falconine aggregation, 
but at the present time three families are admitted in this Order alone, and 
I anticipate further segregation. The examination of skins alone is unsatis- 
factory, as the members show convergence in every detail, and the most 
careful criticism of external features would not lead to the recognition of 
family characters in the group. It is therefore necessary to investigate 
accurately not only the osteology but also the anatomy of the soft parts and 
nestlings to determine the systematic position of each genus or species. It 
was by this means that the classification now recognised was brought about, 
and it may be here emphasized that with regard to Australian Owls we are 
completely ignorant of aU these important features. Consequently there is 
good reason for suggesting that the present grouping may be revised at a 
later date in perhaps unexpected ways. 
I would just indicate roughly some of the points which have brought 
about the present classification. 
In the earlier stages, when the Owls were simply ranked as “ Nocturnal 
Birds of Prey ” as opposed to the Hawks as “ Diurnal Birds of Prey ” with 
family rank, two sections were recognised: Owls with “ears” and Owls without 
“ears.” No Australian Owl shows tufts of feathers on the head known as 
“ ears.” 
The feathering of the legs and feet were next considered, and genera 
were recognised as this feature varied. No great alteration was anticipated, 
however, until Nitzsch examined the pterylosis and found that two extremely 
different types were present in the group. Osteological examination showed 
differences in the ear-structure in remarkable ways, and more recently the 
anatomy of the soft parts has provided more surprises. By means of these 
researches the Northern Owls have become so well known internally, as weU 
as externally, that even genus-lumpers recognise only about one species to 
a genus. Thus, ten species of Owls are recognised on the British List, and 
and chief exponent of genus-lumping has been compelled to rank them in 
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