490 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF CAPRIMULGI. 



a. Hallux relatively very short (about half as long as inner toe), of two phalanges only, 

 directed inward; outer toe (of four phalanges) shorter than inner, both much 

 shorter than middle toe ; toes not expanded basally ; middle claw with inner edge 

 produced, conspicuously pectinated; tarsus at least twice as long as hallux with 

 claw; maxillary tomium without any angular projection, the rictal portion 

 narrow, not strongly if at all convex; metasternum shallowly 2-notched; no 

 powder-down patches Caprimulgidee (p. 490). 



aa. Hallux relatively long (as long as inner toe), of three phalanges, directed back- 

 ward; outer toe (of five phalanges) longer than inner, not much shorter than 

 middle toe; toes unusually broad basally, forming a very broad flattened sole, the 

 width of which is about equal to length of hallux without claw; middle claw 

 not pectinated; tarsusshorter than hallux without claw; maxillary tomium with a 

 conspicuous angular projection or "tooth " about midway between tip of maxilla 

 and rictus, the rictal portion very broad and strongly convex; metasternum 

 deeply 4-notched; powder-down patches present Nyctibiidse (p. 583). 



FamUy CAPKIMULGID^. 



THE GOATSUCKERS, 



= Caprimulginae Bonaparte, Prodr. Syst. Orn., 1840, 4; Consp. Av., i, 1850, 

 58. — Cabanis, Wiegmann's Archiv fur Naturg., i, 1847, 346. — Stejneger, 

 Stand. Nat. Hist., iv, 1885, 387, 388, in text.— Coues, Key N. Am. Birds, 2d 

 ed., 1884, 448.— Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1894, 382.— 

 Sharpe, Hand-list, ii, 1900, 79. 



^'Ca'primulginse Sundevall, Met. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent., ii, 1873, 86 (English 

 translation, 1889, 163) (includes Glareolidae!) 



<C.Caprwiulginae Cabanis and Heine, Mus. Hein., iii, 1860, 88 (excludes Chor- 

 deiles, Lurocalis, and Podager). — Sclater, Cat. Am. Birds, 1862, 280 (excludes 

 Chordeiles, etc.). 



= Capnmulgid3e Sharpe, Kev. Classif. Birds, 1891, 81. — Gadow, in Bronn'a 

 Thier-Reich, Vog., ii, 1891, 243, 300. 



<^Chordedilinae Cabanis and Heine, Mus. Hein., iii, 1860, 86 { Chordeiles +Luro- 

 calis+ Podager) . 



<lChordeilina; Sclater, Cat. Am. Birds, 1862, 278 {Chordeiles+Lurocalis+ Pod- 

 ager). 



Caprimulgi with the toes abnormal (the outer toe much shorter than 

 the middle and consisting of only four phalanges, the hallux very 

 short and consisting of only two phalanges), tarsus at least twice as 

 long as hallux, metasternum shallowly 2-notched, toes not expanded 

 basally, middle claw pectinated, powder-down patches absent and 

 maxillary tomium without any angular projection or "tooth," the 

 rictal portion narrow and not strongly if at aU convex. 



The CaprimulgidsB are small to medium-sized (rarely rather large) 

 nocturnal or crepuscular Coraciiforni bii'ds with small, weak bill, 

 deeply cleft (higlily fissirostral) mouth, weak feet, long wings, and 

 protective coloration, their dull colors, in elaborately vermiculated, 

 mottled, freckled or barred pattern, rendering them, when at rest, 



