1 76 [April, 



confirmation too, of gentlemen of this Academy in whose judgment and accura- 

 cy I have the most entire confidence. It is tiue, however, that they have been 

 written, and the material accumulated during my but limited leisure, or at such 

 fragments of time as I can spare from a business requiring constant attention, (and 

 between which and myself I find it difficult always to maintain the ivtente, cordiale,) 

 from which fact, I am fully aware, there may have arisen oversights or misap- 

 prehensions from want of more extended or more systematic study. I hope, how- 

 ever, that few such will be found, and at all events I shall have the gratification 

 of being one of the first to invite attention to a hitherto much neglected field for 

 investigation, and perhaps to induce others to enter upon the general examination 

 of the many species of birds, the names of which alone are known, and the 

 descriptions of which continue to be copied by succeeding authors from their 

 predecessors. 



2. Caprimidgns, Linn. 



This genus appears to be restricted to the old world. I have never seen a true 

 Caprimulgus from any part of America or the American islands. 1 propose to 

 notice in the course of this paper all the American genera, of which I will give 

 a list of such species as I have seen. 



3. Hydropsalis. Wagler, Isis, XXV. p. 1222. (1832.) 



Original description. "Character universalis Caprimulgi ; cauda profunde 

 furcata, rectrice utrinque extima elongatissima." 



Added by me. Bill rather long, (longer than typical Caprimulgus) slender, 

 and compressed toward the tip, with about 8 or 10 pairs of bristles, which are 

 longer than the bill and curved at the ends, gape moderate, nostrils medial, 

 somewhat elevated. 



Wings long, first and second primaries generally longest, second and third 

 strongly sinuated on their outer webs, three first primaries serrated on their outer 

 edges, shafts of primaries very strong. 



Tail usually with the two external feathers much longer than the others, 

 sometimes graduated with the two middle feathers shortest, sometimes with the 

 two middle feathers lengthened and next in length to the external. 



Tarsi covered with scales and slightly feathered below the joint. Wings 

 without the white bar on the primaries which is found in typical Caprimulgus, 

 tail more or less marked longitudinally with white. 



Ohs. A very natural genus, first described by Wagler as above in 1832, and 

 afterwards called Psalurus by Swainson in Cab. Cy. Birds, ii. p. 339 (1837.) It 

 appears to be exclusively American. 



The species of this genus which I haive seen are: 



1. Hydropsalis torquatiis, (Gm.) Caprimulgus furcifer, Vieill. C. psalu- 

 rus, Temm. 



2. Hydropsalis limbatus, Cassin (Oct. 1849.) H. ereagra, Bonap. (1850.) 



3. Hydropsalis segmeutatus, Cassin (Oct. 1849.) 



4. Hydropsalis lyra, Bonap. (1850.) 



4. Hydropsalis torquatus, (Gm.) 



1. Caprimulgus torquatus, Gm. Syst. Nat. ii. p. 1032, (17&8j) a name given 

 by Gmelin on the faith of the "Gold-collared Goatsucker" of Latham, Gen. 



