1851.] 185 



3. De Wied in Beitrage zur Nat. von Bras, iii, p. 303, 310, (1830,) expresses 

 his conviction that these two names are synonymes, and they are so regarded by 

 Gray in Cat. Fissi. Brit. Mus., p. 5, by Bonaparte in Cons. Av., p. 58, and by 

 others. 



4. They are distinct species. 



That very excellent naturalist, Maximilian, Prince de Wied, appears to have 

 been the first to notice this fine species, vs^hich he named as above. He appears, 

 however, not to have seen Spix's specimens, but to have arrived at the conclusion 

 that C. longicaiidatus is the same as his C. xthereiis, irom the figure and de- 

 scription given in Av. Bras. 



Notwithstanding such high authority, I feel myself compelled to decide from 

 specimens in the collection of this Academy, that these are two species. N. mthe- 

 reus is much the larger bird, being about the size of iV. gravdia. It measures in 

 total length fully 22 inches, as stated in De Wied's description; iV. longicaudatus 

 measures only 18 inches, and is in all other respects smaller, though with a com- 

 paratively longer tail. The colors of the plumage in both species present con- 

 siderable similarity, though in N. sthereus they are darker, and the longitudinal 

 stripes much more strongly defined. They are so much unlike that no person 

 would consider them the same who saw them together. 



All the species of this genus which I have seen have more or less prominent, 

 erect, earlike feathers above the eye. These are quite obvious in N. atherens. 

 Two specimens of iV. athereus and one of N. longicaudatus are in the collection. 

 I have seen another specimen of the former in the collection of the United States 

 Exploring Expedition (Vincennes and Peacock) at Washington, which is labelled 

 "Nyctibius grandis," and so called in Mammalia and Ornithology of U. S. Ex- 

 ploring Expedition by T. R. Peale, p. 327, of course erroneously. 



(In the publication here alluded to, of which there are thirty copies only in 

 the United States, but one in Pennsylvania and none in the city of Philadelphia, 

 the general history of, and description of supposed new species of Caprimulgidae, 

 and, in fact, of all the Fissirostres, are erroneous to an extraordinary extent. I 

 have only so far carefully examined it, but have sufficient knowledge of the book 

 to be fully satisfied that little confidence can be placed in any of Mr. Peale's 

 birds, described as new, of which there are upwards of a hundred.) 



17. Nyctilius jamaicensis, (Gm.) 



1. Cajjrirmdgus jamaicensis, Gm. Sj'st. Nat. ii. p. 1029, (1788,) a name 

 given by Gmelin on the faith of the " Jamaica Goatsucker" described by Latham, 

 Gen. Syn. ii. pt. 2, p. 591, (1783.) 



2. Caprinndgus griseus. Gm. Syst. Nat. ii. p. 1029, (1788,) a name given 

 by Gmelin on the faith of the " grey Goatsucker " of Latham, Gen. Syn. ii. pt. 2, 

 p. 592, (1783,) which is derived from the " Engoulevent gris " of Buffon, Hist. 

 Nat. des Ois vi. p. 548, (1779.) 



3. Caprimnlgns cornutus. Vieill. Nouv. Diet. x. p. 245, (1817) a name given 

 by Vieillot to the "Urutau" of Azara, Apunt. Hist. Nat. Paraguay ii. p. 527, 

 (1805.) 



4. These names are probably synonymes, to which may be added Nyctilius 

 nrutati, La Fresnaye, Guer. Mag. 1837, p. 28, and NyctiUics fectoralis, Gouldj 

 Icones Avium, pi. 16, (August, 1838.) 



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