caprimulgidjE — caprlml^lgin.E: true goatsuckers. 563 



stiffer than whiskers of a cat. Our several genera are readily discriminated by good charac- 

 ters of nostrils, enormous rictal bristles, and comparatively short wings of Night-iars jjroper, 

 in comparison with slight bristles, forked tail, and long pointed wings of Chonleiles ; they 

 respectively represent two sections of the subfamily — Setirostres, bristled-billed (fig. 378), 

 and Glabrirostres, smooth-billed (fig. 379). Most genera of the subfamily are setirostral, and 

 most such species belong to the Old World genus Cajmmulgus, from which our Antrostomus 

 differs little ; leading glabrirostral genera, besides Chordeiles, are Lyncornis, Podager, and 

 Lurocalis. In both sections the feet are so extremely short that the birds cannot perch in the 

 usual way, but sit lengthwise on a large branch, or crouch on the ground. They lay two 

 lengthened, more or less nearly elliptical, white or thickly spotted eggs, on or near the ground, 

 in stumps, etc. The sexes are distinguishable, but nearly alike. The voice is peculiar, and 

 has given several of the species their fanciful onomatopoetic names. 



Analysis of Genera. 



A. Setirostres. Long rictal bristles. Plumage very lax. 



Tarsus extensively feathered. Nostrils not extensively tubular. 



Tail rounded, much shorter than wing. Primaries all mottled, without white spaces. Eggs colored. Large 



and medium-sized Antrostomus 



Tarsus naked, except on joint above. Nostrils extensively tubular. 



Tail square, much shorter than wing. Primaries all mottled, without white spaces. Eggs colorless. Small. 



(Western.) • P/ialcrnoptiliis 



Tail rounded, about as long as wing. Outer primaries mostly whole-colored, with great white spaces. Eggs 

 colored. Very large. (Southwestern.) A'yctidromus 



B. Glabrirostres. No long rictal bristles. Plumage more compact. 

 Tarsus moderately feathered. Nostrils not extensively tubular. 



Tail forked, much shorter than the pointed wing. Outer primaries mostly whole-colored, with great white 

 spaces. Eggs colored. Medium-sized Chordeiles 



NYCTI'DROMUS. (Gr. pv^, gen. vvktos, mix, nuctos, night; dpofios, dromos, act of coursing. 

 Fig. 380.) Night Coursers. Nos- 

 trils prolonged as cylindric tubes open- 

 ing forward and outward. Rictal 

 bristles immense, simple; other bris- 

 tle-tipped or bristle-bearded featliers 

 about bill. Tarsus lengthened, but 

 not exceeding middle toe without claw, 

 naked except just on the joint. Wing 

 scarcely rounded ; tipped by 2d, 3d, 

 and 4th ([uills, 1st longer than oth, 

 foliling to about middle of tail, which 

 is rounded, and approximately of equal 

 length with the wing. Plumage not 

 so lax as in a Whippoorwill ; in this, 

 as in tlie .stiffisli primaries with little 

 marbling but great wllite spaces, and Kio. ,3.-^0. — Head, foot, and pectinated claw of X yd id ro in II 3, 



under parts barred cro.sswise, is seen '"'t- «i^e- (Ad. nat. del. R. Ridgway.) 



an approach to Chordeiles, between wliich genus and Phakenoptilus Xi/ctidiomus probal'ly 



comes. One or two species, long well known in tropical America. 



N. albicol'lis iiierrilli. (Lat. albus, wliite; coUum, neck. To Dr. J. C. Merrill, U. 8. A.) 



Mkruim/s I*AK.\riiri:. Adult ^ : Assuming bniwnish-gray as ground color of upper parts : 



Crown licavily daslicil witli black .streaks along the midillo line, with narrow blark sh.itt- 



Hnes at the sides and on nape. Back more diffusely streaked willi black iu smaller pattern. 



V. 



