406 NORTH A.MKRICAN BIRDS. 



Chordeiles acutipennis, vur. texensis, Lawrence. 



TEXAS NIGHT-HAWK. 



Chordeiles brasilianus, Lawiiexce, Aun. X. Y. Lyceum, V, May, 1851, 114 (not of 

 Gmelin). — C.vssix, 111. I, 1855, 238. Chordeiles mpUi, Bon. Conspectus Avium, 1, 

 184!), 63. Chordeiles fcj-ensis, Lawkenck, Ann. N. Y. Lye. VI, Dec. 1856, 167. — 

 Baikd, Birds N. Am. 1858, 154, pi. xliv. — Ib. M. B. II, Birds, 7, pi. vi. — Cooper, 

 Orn. Cnl. I, 1S70, 345. Caprimulifus texensis, Wa];tiiauskx, Cab. J. 1868, .376 (nest- 

 ing.'). 



Sp. Chak. Much sniiillcr than €'■ virginiantts, 1)ut soriitnvhat similar. AVhite on the 

 wing extending over only four outer primariesJ, the bases of which, as well as the remain- 

 ing ones, with other quills, have round rufous spots on both webs. Under tail-coverts 

 and abdomen with a strong yellowish-rufous tinge. Female more rufous and without the 

 white spot of the tail. Length, 8.7-5 ; wing, 7.00. 



Hab. Basins of Rio Grande, Gila, and Colorado Rivers, and west to Gulf of California ; 

 South as far, at least, as Costa Riea. Localities : Matamoras to San Antonio (Dresser. 

 Ibis, 1865, 471, breeds) ; W. Arizona (CouES, P. A. N. S. 1866, 58) ; Costa Rica (Lawr. 

 An. N. T. Lye. IX, 120) ; Yucatan (Lawr. N. Y. Lye. IX, 204). 



\The markings of this species are quite different from those of Clwrdeiles 

 popetue. In average specimens the prevailing color above may be described 

 as a mixed gray, yellowish-rusty, black, and brown, in varied but \^ery fine 

 mottlings. The top of the head is rather uniibrmly brown, with a few 

 mottlings of grayish-rusty, although the concealed portion of the feathers is 

 much varied. On the nape is a finely mottled collar of grayi.sli and black, 

 not very conspicuou.sly defined, and rather interrupted on the median line. 

 A similar collar is seen on the forepart of the breast. The middle of the 

 back and the rump exliibit a coarser mottling of the same without any 

 rufous. The scapulars and wing-coverts are beautifully variegated, much as 

 in some of the Waders, the pattern very irregular and scarcely capable of 

 definition. There are, however, a good many large round spots of pale 

 yellowish-rusty, very conspicuous among the other markings. There is 

 quite a large blotch of white on the wing, situated considerably nearer the 

 tip than the carpal joint. It only invohes four jirimaries. and extends 

 across both outer and inner webs. The four first primaries anterior to tlie 

 white blotches, and the remaining ones nearly from their tips, exhibit a 

 series of large round rufmis spots not seen in tlie otlier Xortli American 

 species. The other wing-(iuills have also similar markings. There is a 

 large V-shajied white mark on the throat, as in C. virr/iniaiuis, though rather 

 larger proportionally. Posterior to this there are some rather conspicuous 

 blotches of rufous, behinil which is the obscure finely mottled collar of gray 

 and brown already referred to. The breast and remaining under parts are 

 dull white transversely banded with brown, with a strong tinge of yellowish- 

 rufous on the abdomen, about the vent, and on the under tail-coverts. The 

 tail is dark bro\\ii with about eight transverse bars of lighter ; the last are 



