TYTO. 
Medium-sized birds for the Order, they possess the most marked facial 
discs, projecting bills, long wings, medium tails, long legs and medium feet. 
Tlie bill is w'ell hooked, projecting from the face ; the cere is obscurely 
defined ; the nostrils appear as ovals, half covered by an operculum, placed 
high up and well forward in the cere. Bristles almost obscure the nostrils 
from a side view and the nostrils are absolutely hidden from in front. 
Otherwise nothing striking is seen in the head, save the very pronounced 
heart-shaped facial disc. 
The wings are long and show a striking feature when compared with 
all the preceding genera, as the first primary is very long, equal to the third, 
and only slightly exceeded by the second, which is longest : the rest rapidly 
decreasing. The hard comb-like serrations on the outer web of the first 
primary very noticeable. 
The tail is square and of medium length, not quite haK the length of 
the wing. 
The legs are long and the toes short ; the tarsus is covered with short 
feathers and is little more than half the length of the tail. The toes are 
short, about half the length of the tarsus, and sparsely covered with short 
hair-like feathers. The claws are long, rounded, the middle one bearing 
serrations on the inner edge. The inner toe is about equal to the middle 
in length, the outer one short. 
The above description is drawn up from the type of Tyto, and two other 
species inhabiting Australia are commonly referred to this genus wdth reason. 
A fourth has just as commonly been placed in this genus with little reason, 
as will be hereafter shown. 
The species Tyto novmJiollandim was given subgeneric rank by Kaup 
with the name Dactylostrix. It agrees generally in coloration with Tyto alba, 
but is larger in size and the legs and feet stronger, the tarsus proportionately 
shorter and the toes proportionately longer, both stouter. 
Tlaat is, though the tail is still less than half the length of the wing) the 
tarsus is less than half that of the tail, and the toes more than half that of 
the tarsus. Subgeneric difference is certainly indicated, and it is very probable 
that osteological examination will demand generic rank. 
The species Tyto longimembris is about the same size and generally agrees 
in coloration with Tyto alba, but differs mainly in its longer legs. As the 
short toes are still maintained, the tarsus is much more than half the length 
of the tail, almost two-thirds, while the toes are noticeably less than half the 
length of the tarsus. Here subgeneric rank is suggested, and here again 
osteological investigation may require a higher grouping. The name to be 
used is Scelostrix, introduced by Kaup, but he had been anticipated by Blyth 
VOL. V. 
361 
