562 



S YS TEMA TIC S Y NOP SIS. — PICARIjE — CORA CLE. 



be forced into this family), the Caprimulgidce are a defiuitely-circutnseribed, easily-recog- 

 nized group of about 20 genera and 100 species, of temperate and tropical parts of both 

 hemispheres. They are all more or less nocturnal, and have a certain resemblance to Owls. 

 The flight is perfectly noiseless; the plumage is very soft and lax, as in Owls, and the colors 

 are blended in the most intricate pattern. In certain exotic genera, either the wing or tail 

 develops a pair of immensely lengthened feathers. Thus, in the African pennant-winged 

 Cosmetornis vexillarius an inner primary of the ^ is prolonged into a slender streamer a foot 

 and a half long ; and in the related African standard-bearer, Macrodipteryx macrodipterus, the 

 same primary of the ^ is similarly elongated, with a bare shaft bearing a webbed spatula or 

 racket at its end. The African Scotornis climacurus has greatly produced central tail-feathers ; 

 but the peculiar development of rectrices reaches an extreme in the South American lyre- 

 tailed Goatsuckers, Macropsalis lyra and its congeners. The whole family is strictly insectiv- 

 orous, and consequently the species of temperate latitudes are migratory. None of the species 

 are nest builders, the eggs being simj^ly dropped in open places ; these are normally two in 

 number, generally colored, sometimes unmarked. The young hatch downy, but helpless. The 

 Caprimulgidce are divisible, according to the structure of the feet and other characters, into 

 two subfamilies : Nyctibiince, phalanges normal, middle claw not pectinate, pulviplumes pres- 

 ent, sternum doubly-notched, upper mandible toothed, containing one genus (Nyctibius) of 

 tropical America ; and Caprimulgince, comprising the rest of the family. The latter alone is 

 represented in North America. Our " Whippoorwills " are typically caprimulgine, and give a 

 good idea of the essential characters of the family; our '* Night-hawks" are more aberrant, 

 representing a particular section of the subfamily; but neither of these gives any hint of the 

 singular shapes which some of the genera assume. 



Subfamily CAPRIMULCIN/E : True Goatsuckers ; Night-Jars. 



Sternum singly-notched on each side behind. No pulvij^lumes. Bill not toothed. 

 Ratio of phalanges abnormal (2-3-4-4). Outer toe 4-jointed (fig. 41); middle claw pectinate; 



liind toe very short, elevated, semi-lateral ; anterior toes movably 

 webbed at base ; lateral toes not nearly reaching base of mid- 

 dle claw. Tarsus very short, commonly much feathered (longer 

 and naked in Nyctidromus and Phalcenoptilus). Besides the 

 semipalmation of the feet, there is another curious analogy to 

 wading birds ; for the young are downy at birth, as in Prcccoces, 

 instead of naked, as is the rule among Altrices. The plumage 

 is soft and lax, much as in the Owls; the birds have the same 

 uijiseless flight, as well as, in most cases, nocturnal or crepus- 

 cular habits ; and some of them bear an odd resemblance to 

 Owls. Besides this fluffiness and laxity of the plumage, the 

 skin is very thin and tender; it is diflScult to make good speci- 

 mens of the Whippoorwills, and the curiously variegated blended 

 shades, of exquisite beauty, like the powdery coloration of a 

 moth's wings, are at best not easy to describe. An evident 

 design of the capacious mouth is the capture of insects ; the 

 active birds quarter the air with wide-open mouth, and their 

 minute prey is readily taken in. But they also secure larger 

 insects in other ways ; and to this end the rictus is frequently 

 strongly bristled, as in the Tyrannidce and Capitonidce. The most usual quarry consists of 

 nocturnal or crepuscular moths and beetles. In all our genera except Chordeiles, the rictal 

 bristles are 1.00 or more in length, in a firm regular series along gape — relatively longer and 



Fig. 379. — Night-hawk, a gla- 

 brirostral Caprimulgine. (From Ten- 

 ney, after Wilson. ) 



