188 I April, 



the upper parts of the body. Neither the white spots near the ends of the tail fea- 

 thers, nor the white collar in front of the neck are mentioned, which I cannot 

 account for, as the latter is not absent in any American Goatsucker. The bird 

 described may have been young, or a female. The expression " caudam ele- 

 gantem" alludes probably more to the form than the color. 



Caprinuilgus oioiiiho., Vieiil., is avowedly a substitute for the name given by 

 Gmelin. Vieillot's description is copied from BufTon, (Hist. Nat. des Ois. vi. p. 

 539, 1789,) who, however, copies from Marcgrave. Caprimulgus variegatus.^ 

 Vieiil., appears to be the same bird. 



The term " Jaspeado" applied to his bird by Azara, appears to mean simply 

 '' marhled" (Connelly and Higgins' Dictionary of the Spanish and English lan- 

 guages ii. p. 232, Quarto, Madrid, 1798,) its latinization into <' jaspideus," 

 which appears to have been done by Merrem, is of very doubtful correctness, 

 and calculated to convey to ears accustomed to the English language, the errone- 

 ous idea that the bird is the color of the stone known as jasper, which would be 

 taken to mean in the generality of cases a reddish brown or liver color; or 

 worse, according to the classic meaning of the word jaspis or jasper, (hence jaspi- 

 deus,) "a stone of a green color," (vide Latin dictionaries.) 



21. Chordeiles acutus, (Gm.) 



Caprimulgus acutus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. ii. p. I03I. Buff. PI. Enl. 732. 



Caprimulgus pruinosus, Tschudi, Av. Consp. p. 8. Fau. Peru. Aves pi. 6. 



Caprimulgus exilis, Lesson, Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 44. Comp. de Buff. xx. p. 258. 



Chvrdeiies lubeculalus, Jardine, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1846, p. 118. 



All these names are synonymes. The acumination at the tips of the shafts of 

 the tail feathers, from which the specific name of this bird is derived, affords a 

 character by which it is easily recognized, when present. But this is by 

 no means constantly the case, though when not observable the ends of the shafts 

 of the feathers are frequently abruptly terminated, and appear as if broken off- 

 This fact, and the very indifferent character of Buffon's figure, (PI. Enl. 732,) 

 are sufficient reasons that this bird has not been readily recognized, and that it has 

 been several times described under different names by very able and learned 

 authors. 



Caprirmdgus -pr^dnostis, Tschudi, is this bird. In Fauna Peruana, Cabanis 

 erroneously refers that species to Caprvmidgus semitorquatiis, Gm., having been 

 influenced probably by the Prince de Wied's description of the bird, which he 

 supposed to be the latter, (Beitrage iii. p. 330.) This description applies, however, 

 to Caprimulgus brasilianus, Gm., and not to C. semitorquatus, which belongs to 

 another genus. 



22. Genus Podager, Wagler, Isis xxv. p. 277, (1832.) 

 Proithera, Swainson, Cab. Cy. Birds ii. p. 339, (1837.) 



Orig. descr. Wagler. " Wesentlichstes auszeres Merkmal der Sippe: poUex 

 interno-transversalis, non versatilis. Andere Kenzeichen liegen in der Gestalt 

 der Fliigel, des Schwanzes, in der Farbe des Gefieders, u. s. w. 



Hierher als Species: Caprimulgus diurnus, Wied, (Nacunda, Azar.) Fliegt 

 gesellschaftlich bey Tage." 



Orig. descr. Swains. "Rictus almost smooth. Wings very long, equal to the 

 tail, which is shore and even. Tarsus very naked. America. P. diurnus. PI. 

 Col. 182.-- 



