398 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDrf. 



Family CAPRIMULGIDiE. — The Goatsuckers. 



Char. Bill very short ; the gape enormously long and wide, opening to beneath or 

 behind the eyes. Culmen variable. Toes connected by a movable skin; secondaries 

 lengthened ; plumage soft, sometimes very full and loose, as in the Owls. 



Tlic proceiliiiL! diagnosis in coiuieL-lioii with that of tlie order will suffice 

 to separate tlie Caprimulyidcv from their allies. Their closest relatives are 

 the C'l/psc/kkv, ne.xt to wliich pei-haps may be reckoned the Trochilidcc. 



Ill defining the subdivisions of this family, we make use of an excellent 

 monograph of the American species by Dr. Sclater, in Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society, Loudon, 18G6, 123. He establishes three subfamilies as 

 follows : — 



I. Podarginae. Cl.iw of raidcUe toe not pectinated : outer toe with five 

 phalanges. Sternum with two pairs of posterior fissures. 



Outer pair of posterior sternal fissures much deeper than inner 

 pair ; tarsus long and naked. Eggs colorless. Podargus, Batracho- 

 stonius, ^guiheles, Old World. 



Outer pair of posterior fissures inucli deeper than inner pair; 

 tnisiij; (^xtremely short and feathered. Mydibiun, New World. 



II. Steatornithinae. Claw of middle toe not pectinated ; outer toe with 

 five phalanges. Sternum with one pair of shallow posterior fissures. Eggs 

 colorless. Sfeatni-ni/!, New World. 



III. Caprimulgiua. Claw of middle toe pectinated ; outer toe with four 

 phalanges only. Sternum with one pair of shallow posterior fissures. Eggs 

 colored (colorless in Antrostomiis nuitaUi. Baii-d). 



a. Glabrirostres. Rictus smooth. Podac/er, Lurocalis, Chnrddles, 

 New World. Lyncornis, Eurystopodus, Old World. 

 h. Seiirosires. Rictus armed with strong bristles. Caprimulgtts, 

 Scotornh, Afacrodipte)-yx, Old Vfovhl; Antrostomits, Stenopsis, Hydrop- 

 salis, Heleothreptus, Xyctidromus. Siphonorhis, New World. 



Dr. Sclater is of the opinion tliat Podargus may ultimately have to be 

 placed in a different family from the Caprimulgidce, witii or witlmut tlie 

 other genera placed under I'othiiyincr ; of these Ki/cfibiii.';, the sole New 

 World genus lias species in Middle (includiug Jamaica) and South America. 

 Steatornis caripensis, the single representative of the second subfamily, is 

 found in Trinidad, Venezuela, and Colombia. It lives in caverns and deep 

 chasms of the rocks, becoming excessively fat (whence the scientific name), 

 and is said to feed on fruits. The bill is large and powerful, more like 

 that of a Hawk than a Goatsucker. 



Subfamily C APRIMULGIN.^. 



Char. Outer toes with four iligius only ; claw ol' middle toe pectinated. Sternum 

 with one pair only of sternal fissures or notches. Toes scutellate above. Hind toe 

 directed a little more than h.ilf forward, nostrils separated; rather nearer the commissure 

 than the culmen. 



