The Irrisors are birds of generally metallic plumage, which have often been placed with the Epunachidæ and near the Sun-birds, or Birds of Paradise, but which are undoubtedly allied to the Hoopoes. They are strictly confined to the continent of Africa, ranging from Abyssinia to the west coast, and southward to the Cape Colony. They have been divided into several sub-genera which it is not necessary here to notice (Plate IV. Vol. I. p. 261).

Family 71.—PODARGIDÆ. (3 Genera, 20 Species.)

General Distribution.
Neotropical
Sub-regions.		Nearctic
Sub-regions.		Palæarctic
Sub-regions.		Ethiopian
Sub-regions.		Oriental
Sub-regions.		Australian
Sub-regions.
— — — —— — — —— — — —— — — —1. 2. 3. 41. 2 — —

The Podargidæ, or Frog-mouths, are a family of rather large-sized nocturnal insectivorous birds, closely allied to the Goat-suckers, but distinguished by their generally thicker bills, and especially by hunting for their food on trees or on the ground, instead of seizing it on the wing. They abound most in the Australian region, but one genus extends over a large part of the Oriental region. The following are the genera with their distribution:—

Podargus (10 sp.), Australia, Tasmania, and the Papuan Islands (Plate XII. Vol. I. p. 441); Batrachostomus (6 sp.), the Oriental region (excluding Philippine Islands and China) and the northern Moluccas; Ægotheles (4 sp.), Australia, Tasmania, and Papuan Islands.

Family 72.—STEATORNITHIDÆ. (1 Genus, 1 Species.)

General Distribution.
Neotropical
Sub-regions.		Nearctic
Sub-regions.		Palæarctic
Sub-regions.		Ethiopian
Sub-regions.		Oriental
Sub-regions.		Australian
Sub-regions.
— 2 — —— — — —— — — —— — — —— — — —— — — —

This family contains a single bird—the Guacharo—forming the genus Steatornis, first discovered by Humboldt in a cavern in Venezuela, and since found in deep ravines near Bogota, and also in Trinidad. Although apparently allied to the Goat-suckers it is a vegetable-feeder, and is altogether a very anomalous bird whose position in the system is still undetermined.

Family 73.—CAPRIMULGIDÆ. (17 Genera, 91 Species.)

General Distribution.
Neotropical
Sub-regions.		Nearctic
Sub-regions.		Palæarctic
Sub-regions.		Ethiopian
Sub-regions.		Oriental
Sub-regions.		Australian
Sub-regions.
1. 2. 3. 41. 2. 3. 41. 2. 3. 41. 2. 3. 41. 2. 3. 41. 2 — —