22. Caprinmlgus nubicus. 



Caprimulgus nubicus, LicM. Verz. Doubl. p. 59 (1823) ; Cass. Cat. 

 Capr. Ac. Phil. p. 3 (1851) ; Cab. ^ Heiyie, Mtis. Hein. iii. p. 89 

 (I860); Heiigl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 127 (1809); Blanf. Gcol. ^ 

 Zool. Abi/ss. p. 336 (1870) ; Salvin, Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 376 

 (1882) ; Hartert, Kat. Vugels. Mas. Senck. Frank/, p. 121 (1891) ; 

 id. Ibis, 1892, p. 280. 



Caprimulgus infuscatus, Cretzsc/im., Riipp. All. p. 6, pi. vi. (1826) ; 

 Miipp. iSi/st. Uebers. p. 21 (1845) ; BjJ. Cmsp. i. p. 59 (1850) ; 

 Heiigl. ISyst. Uebers. p. 21 (1856) ; id. J.f. O. 1864, p. 244. 



Caprimulgus polioceplialus, Ileugl. {nee Riipp.), Ibis, 1859, v. 339. 



Caprimulgus tamaricis, Tristr. P. Z. S. 1864, pp. 170, 430 (Pales- 

 tine) ; id. Ibis, 1866, p. 73, pi. ii. ; id. Strati F. viii. p. 417 il879) ; 

 Gray, Hand-l. i. p. 56 (1869) ; Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 132 

 (1869); Fiyisch l^- Hartl. Vog. O.-Afr. p. 125 (1870); Cab. 

 J. f. 0. 1878, p. 236 (E. Afi'.) ; Gigl. Ibis, 1881, p. 191 (Italv ?) ; 

 Schaloic, J. f. O. 1883, p. 351 (E. Afr.) ; Bo/im, J. f. O. 1883, 

 p. 176. 



Above brownish grey to greyish brown with longitudinal black- 

 ish streaks, especially visible ou the top of the head : a pale orange- 

 buff or yellowish-buff collar speckled with dark brown round the 

 hind neck ; some buff spots on the bead, neck, scapulars, and wing- 

 coverts ; two outer rectrices with white tips for about one inch and 

 more ; chin and large spot on each side of the lower surface of the 

 neck white ; breast mixed brownish, greyish, and isabelline ; 

 abdomen distinctly barred ; lower tail-coverts uniform ; the first 

 four primaries with large white spots, the next ones reddish with 

 greyish-brown tips and deep brown spots. Total length about 9 

 inches, wing 5-7 to 5-9, tail 4-3, culmen 0*3o, tarsus 0-8, not 

 feathered except on the uppermost part. 



The sexes are probably not different. 



One of Eiippell's specimens (his C. infuscatus) is more uniform 

 and more isabelline above, and is probably a younger individual ; 

 the white spots on the primaries and ou the rectrices are less pure. 



I have seen typical specimens of C. nubicus, Licht., in the Berlin 

 Museum, and have had the opportunityof comparing the types of Riip- 

 jjell's C. infuscatus as well as that of C. tamaricis of Tristram and all 

 Heugliu's specimens in the Stuttgart Museum. I have come to the 

 conclusion that they undoubtedly belong to one species. C. nubicus 



