300 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus NYCTIDROMUS Gould. (Page 297, pi. LXXXYIII., fig. 2.) 



Species. 



Adult male : Above finely mottled brownish gray or brownish, the crown with 

 a central series of broad black streaks, the scapulars handsomely variegated with 

 black and buff in large, somewhat V-shaped, markings; base of six outer primaries 

 white, forming a large patch over both webs, the rest of the quills plain dusky ; 

 outer tail-feathers nearly uniform blackish ; next mostly white, with outer web 

 chiefly dusky ; third also mostly white, the outer web edged with dusky ; four 

 middle tail-feathers without any white, their ground-color mottled brownish gray, 

 relieved by irregular "herring-bone" blotches of dusky along the shaft; low^er parts 

 buffy, regularly barred with dusky, the throat crossed by a distinct collar of pure 

 white; length 12.00-13.50, wing 6.75-7.50, tail 6.75-7.40. Adult female : Similar to 

 the male, but smaller, more brownish, the colors duller and less handsomely con- 

 trasted, the white of quills and tail-feathers more restricted, that of former occu- 

 pying only four outer quills, of latter occupying only terminal portion (for .75- 

 1.75) of the inner webs of second and third feathers, the blackish basal portion of 

 which is broadly, though more or less irregularly, barred and mottled with ochra- 

 ceous; length about 10.50-11.50, wing 6.00-6.30, tail 5.80-6.00. Young: Much 

 paler than adult, the lower parts nearly immaculate pale dull buffy, the wung- 

 coverts and tertials with this color prevailing; dark markings on top of head in 

 form of somewhat triangular, drop-shaped, or diamond-shaped spots, each imme- 

 diately surrounded by a paler tint than the general surface ; sexes distinguished as 

 in adult stages. Eggs deposited on ground or dead leaves in woods or thickets, 

 1.16 X -84, deejD pinkish buff, or salmon-buff, sparsely speckled or spotted with rusty 

 or cinnamon. Hah. Whole of tropical America (except "West Indies), north to 

 lower Eio Grande Yallej^ in Texas 419. N. albicoUis (Gmel.). Parauque. 



Genus CHORDEILES Swainson. (Page 297, pi. LXXXVII., fig. 2.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Above mottled with blackish and grayish (sometimes 

 varied, more or less, with ochraceous), the tail more or less distinctly banded with 

 dusky ; quills chiefly plain dusky, several of the longer ones marked near the 

 middle portion with a more or less extensive white or buffy spot; lower parts 

 whitish or buffy, barred with dusky, the throat with a more or less conspicuous 

 A-shaped white or buffy patch ; adidt males with a broad bar of white across tail 

 near tip (except on middle feathers). Young : Much more finely and profusely 

 mottled than in adults, with less of dusky above and dusky bars on low^er parts less 

 distinct ; upper parts often more or less suffused or mixed (especially in C. texensis 

 and C. virginianus hem'yi) with pale cinnamon or rusty buff. 



a^. White or (rarely) buffy spot or patch on quills situated mainly or wholly 

 anterior to tip of seventh quill, the space between this white patch and the 



