Family.—CAPRIMULGIDÆ.

Sub-Fam.—CAPRIMULGINIÆ.

1. Caprimulgus bifasciatus. Gould.

Caprimulgus bifasciatus, Gould, in Proceedings of the Zoological Society, February 1837, p. 22.

C. capite nigro fusco et fulvescente ornatus; caudâ albo bifasciatâ, fasciâ terminali latâ: primâ angustâ; primariis nigrescentibus fasciâ angustâ albâ ad medium: alis spuriis maculâ, albâ notatis; gutture lunulâ albâ; secundariis tectricibusque alarum maculâ fulvescente ad apicem; crisso pallidè rufescente; rostro pedibusque fuscis.

Long. tot. unc., 9¾; alæ, 6⅓; caudæ, 5; tarsi ¾.

Front and back of head gray, mottled with black and with little fulvous. The latter colour more abundant, and in larger markings in the interscapular region, and on the wing-coverts. The black markings give a somewhat streaked appearance to the back of head and interscapulars. On the back of throat the fulvous tint is so much pronounced, that a collar is formed which is continued under a white one round the breast. Wings: primaries brownish black; four external ones, with a large white mark, forming a band, at about one-third of their length from their extremities: these white marks are edged with fulvous, and the part on the outer web of the first primary, is wholly so coloured. The other primaries are marked with reddish brown, as are the secondaries and tertiaries, the marks becoming more numerous and smaller, and the colours more mottled, nearer the back. Tail: upper tail-coverts and two central feathers of tail marked like those on the back; the black, however, forming narrow interrupted transverse bars. The pair next to these central ones have near their extremities a large white mark, but only on the inner shaft. In the three succeeding pairs, the white spot extends on both sides of the shaft, and in each pair increases somewhat in size; so that in the external pair, the white spot is merely bordered with a very narrow, faint margin, of brown and fulvous. At about half their length, all the feathers, with the exception of the central pair, have a smaller white mark, but only on the inner side of the shaft. This mark is transverse, in the form of a band, and the white blends into fulvous on the edges of the webs. Outer web of these same external feathers, are transversely barred with black and fulvous. Under surface.—Chin, breast, belly, and lining of wings, dirty fulvous, with numerous narrow, irregular, transverse bars of brown. Throat with white collar, beneath which the fulvous tint is predominant, forming a kind of under collar, which is continued round the whole neck. Under tail-coverts fulvous,—tail itself appears almost black, with a great terminal white band, and a narrower one at about half its length.

Wings, an inch and a quarter shorter than the tail. Second primary, scarcely perceptibly longer than the third; the first about an eighth of an inch shorter than the second, and 8 ths longer than the fourth. Feathers on wing, with the outer webs, slightly excised.

In.
Total length9¾
Wing folded6½
Tail5
Tarsi⁸⁄₁₀
From tip of beak to rictus1
Of middle toe without the claw⁷⁄₁₀

Habitat, Valparaiso Chile, (August).

This species frequents the mountains of central Chile. When bivouacking one night on the Bell of Quillota, at an elevation of 6000 feet above the sea, I heard a gentle, plaintive cry, which I was told was made by this bird. It is regarded with superstitious dread by many of the lower orders.

Mr. Gould observes, that “this species has a strong resemblance, at the first glance, with the Caprimulgus Europæus, but may be readily distinguished by its shorter wing, more lengthened tarsi, by a conspicuous white band across the base of the tail, and by all these feathers, except the two middle ones, having another white band near the tip.” Mr. Gould then adds, as “I am quite undecided to which of the sub-genera this and the following species should belong, I leave them for the present in the restricted genus, Caprimulgus, although I certainly perceive in it many points of affinity to the group which inhabits the United States of North America.”

2. Caprimulgus parvulus. Gould.

Caprimulgus parvulus, Gould, Proceedings of the Zoological Society, February 1837, p. 22.

C. capite intensè fusco, guttis minutis cinereis ornato; vittâ rufâ cervicem cingente; gutture scapularibusque ad marginem, secundariis ad apicem stramineis; pectore et abdomine lineis fuscis transversis; primariis nigrescentibus, tribus fasciis inæqualibus pallidè rufescentibus; caudâ fasciis pallidè fulvescentibus et fuscis ornatâ.

Long. tot. unc., 7½; alæ, 5; caudæ, 4; tarsi, ⅝.

Crown of head gray, with black longitudinal streaks. Back of neck with a fulvous ring, which extends round the front beneath one of white, as in the C. bifasciatus. Back, dull gray. Interscapulars, with the central part of each feather, black, terminating in a point; the outer part of the web being broadly fringed with a very pale fulvous, the inner with gray. Wings: primaries brown, with fulvous marks, forming three irregular transverse bars, which are scarcely visible when the wing is closed. Tail and upper tail-coverts, dull coloured, very obscurely marked with transverse bars of gray and fulvous, of different degrees of darkness. Under surface.—Throat white, edged with fulvous on lower side. Breast, belly, and under tail-coverts, fulvous, with numerous very narrow transverse bars of brown. The pale fulvous marks, forming interrupted bars, are more plainly seen on this than on the upper side of the tail.

Third primary, very little longer than second, and second than first. First rather longer than fourth. Extremities of wings reaching within an inch and a quarter of end of tail. End of tail more rounded than in last species.

In.
Total length7½
Wings5
Tail4
Tarsi⅝
Middle toe, from tip of claw to joint of foot⁹⁄₁₂
From tip of beak to rictus1

Habitat, La Plata, (September).

This species is not uncommon on the wooded banks of the Parana, near Santa Fé. If disturbed, it rises from the ground, in the same inactive manner as the European species. I saw one alight on a rope diagonally, but not so completely in a longitudinal position as does the C. Europæus, nor transversely as other birds. Mr. Gould observes, that “this goatsucker is full a third less than the Caprimulgus Europæus, and is remarkable for the uniformity of its markings, having no distinct white bars, or marks, either on the wings or tail.”