146 U S p. R K. EXr. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



Family C A P R I M U L G I D A E . The Goat-suckers. 

 Sub-Family CAPRIMULGINAE. 



Ch. — Bill very short, triangular, the culmen less than one-sixth the gape. The anterior toes united at the base by a 

 membrane The inrer anterior toe with three joints, the others with four ; all with distinct scutellae above. The toe much 

 elongated, its middle claw pectinated on the inner edge. Hind toe directed a little more than half forwards. Tarsi partly 

 'eathered superiorly. The bill more or less bristled ; the nostrils separated, rather nearer the commissure than the culmen. 

 PI mage soft, lax, and owl-like. 



The Caprimulgidae have quite a close resemblance to the owls in the color and texture of the 

 plumage, as ■well as in the broad head, although, of course,' readily distinguishable by unmis- 

 takable characters. The closest relationships are to the Cypselidae. The jsrimary quills aro 

 ten in number, the secondaries eleven or twelve. The latter are much longer than in the 

 Cypselidae, covering more than half the primaries. The middle toe is much longer than in the 

 Cypselidae, and its claw is usually provided -with a comb-like edge on one side. The anterior 

 toes are united by a membrane, the inner and middle usually more so than the middle and outer. 

 The inner toe is small, and the outer is usually so, having generally only four joints instead of 

 the normal five. The tarsi are covered with short scales anteriorly, their upper portion 

 generally clothed with feathers. 



The Cajirimulgidae are divided into two sub-families, the Steatorninae and Caprimulginae, the 

 former having the inner edge of the middle anterior claw exjjanded, but not pectinated. A 

 third sub-family Podagerinae is sometimes added. The Caprimulginae alone are represented in 

 the United States, and by two genera, Antrostomus and Chordeiles, which may readily be 

 distinguished as follows : 



AxTROSTOMDS. — Bill with conspicuous bristles. Wings short, rounded; tail broad, graduated; 

 plumage very lax. 



CnoRDEiLES. — Bill without bristles ; wings very long and pointed ; tail narrow, forked ; 

 plumage compact. 



ANTROSTOMUS, Gould. 



Antrostomus, Gould, Icones Avium, 1838, (Agassiz.) 



Cn. — Bill remarkably small, with tubulnr nostrils, and the gape with long stiff', sometimes pectinated, bristles. Wings 

 long, somewhat rounded, second quill longest, the primaries emurginated. Tail rounded. Plumage loose and soft. 



The present genus embraces the North American analogues of the European goat-suckers — 

 namely, the chuck-will's widow and the two species of whippoorwill. Of these, the former, or 

 A. carolinensis, is much the largest, with the long stiff bristles of the bill provided with lateral 

 filaments ; these are wanting in the A. vociferus and A. nultalli. In voci/erus, which is much, 

 the larger of the two last, the throat has a narrow white collar, and the lower terminal half of the 

 tail is white; the head longitudinally streaked. In nutialli the throat has a large white patch ; 

 the under surface of the tail a small one, and the crown is banded transversely, not longitudinally. 



