Genus— S PILOGLAUX. 
Spiloglaux Kaup, Isis 1848, p. 768 .. .. Type 8. n. hodboolc. 
Small Strigine birds with short bills, short wings, long tails, long feathered 
tarsus and short unfeathered toes. 
The bill is very short and hooked, with a long tip ; under-edge of 
mandible slightly wavy, almost straight ; the nostrils almost circular, placed 
high up in fore part of cere, almost on culmen ridge, and directed forward ; 
the nostrils are on side view obscured by long bristles, but are clearly seen 
from the front. The under-mandible is medium, broad, scoop-like, with 
truncate tip. 
The wing is short and rounded, the fourth primary slightly the longest, 
but the third, fourth and fifth practically subequal : the second slightly shorter 
than the sixth and the seventh exceeding the first ; the outer web of the 
first primary is practically soft, not stiff or saw-like. 
The tail is long and rounded, almost two-thirds the length of the wing. 
The tarsus is short, but long for this group, over twice the length of the 
culmen and completely covered with feathers. 
The feet are very small and weak and covered to the toes with bristles ; 
the middle toe is much shorter than the tarsus ; the claws are long and 
rounded, and the middle claw does not bear serrations. 
The preceding, without reference to the proportions, generally applies 
to the Owls associated under “ Ninox,^" as regards Australia. 
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