182 [April, 



Rejecting then the measurements in the description, it is otnerwise, with 

 the plate, sufficient to determine the genus and perhaps the species. 



The bird belongs to the genus Nyctidromus, Gould, Icon. Av. part ii, and the 

 species is probably N. Derbyanus, Gould, upon which the genus is founded. It 

 is stated in Sloane's description that " it had a quarter of an inch long crooked 

 black bill, with two tubuli about one-eighth part of an inch long for nostrils; 

 along the upper mandible were several bristly hairs in a line the legs and feet 

 were an inch and a half long, covered with brown scales; the toes four, three 

 before, that in the middle three-quarters of an inch long, and one behind." 

 " The head and back," he says, " were covered with feathers of a mixt color of 

 feuille niort, grey and black, the wings and tail were of the same color, only 

 lighter, under the chaps breast and belly, were also of the same. 



All these characters, except the colors, are represented in the plate. 



They are all, including the colors, to be found in the genus Nyctidromus, and 

 there only. Tubular or elevated nares, "Nares sub-basales elevatae" (Gould) 

 are characteristic. It is the only American genus with legs entirely bare, except 

 one species of Podager, and there is no species of any American genus at all, to 

 the color of which the term " feuille mort " can be applied with as great pro- 

 priety as to those of this. 



The entire description, so far as relates to color, applies to all the species of the 

 genus Nyctidromus, of which there are three. They are so much alike that they 

 can scarcely be said to differ in any other respect than size. The largest of these 

 species which is about the size of Sloane's figure, I am disposed to conclude is the 

 Caprimulgus americanus, Linn., and that it is the same as the Nyctidromus Der- 

 byanus, Gould, a common South American bird. 



It is important that it should be mentioned, however, that this bird has not been 

 observed in Jamaica by Mr. Gosse, or by any other writer so far as my know- 

 ledge extends. Should future investigations elicit the fact that it does inhabit 

 that island I shall consider the matter settled beyond a doubt. That a species of 

 Nyctidromus does inhabit Jamaica, and which is not mentioned by Mr. Gosse, 

 Sloane's figure and description clearly demonstrate. 



Caprimulgus albicollis, Gm., is the white throated Goatsucker of Latham 

 described by him from a specimen " in the collection of Major Davies, supposed 

 to have come from Cayenne." The description is accurate, except that the size 

 is rather small, " length ten inches and a quarter," but of course taken from a 

 skin. In Gen. Hist. vii. p. 359, he (Latham) gives the length twelve inches, and 

 an excellent description under the same name, and justly cites " L'Ibiyan, 

 Voyage d'Azara iv. No. 310" as a synonyme. This citation is of the French 

 edition of Azara, with notes by Cuvier and Sonnini, Paris, 1809. (Walckenaer's 

 edition.) The description by Azara is the best extant. Gould's figure in Icon. 

 Av. is incomparable. 



The bird now under consideration is the Caprimulgus albicollis, Gm., of the 

 greater number of the European authors; occasionally, however, this name is 

 applied to the bird which is properly Caprimulgus guianensis, Gm., as by De 

 Wied, Beitr. iii., p. 318. 



It also appears to be the Caprimulgus laticaudus. Drapiez. Diet. Class. d'Hist. 

 Nat. vi. p. 169. (Paris, 1824, octavo.) 



