580 CAPRIMULGID.'K. 



Auk, 1886, p. T79 (California) ; Townsend, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 



X. p. 206 (1887 ; N. California) ; TJoi/d, Auk, 1887, p. 191 (W. 



Texas); Mearn», Auk, ISOO, p. 254 (Arizona). 

 Phal.-enoptiliis nuttixlli nitidas, Brewsf. Auk, 1887, p. 147 (Texas & 



Arizona); Eidfftv. Man. N. A. B. p. 588 (1887); Gos.s, Auk, 



1889, p. 124, 1890, p. 286 (Kansas) ; Ilarsbrouck, Auk, 1889, 



p. 239 (Texas). 

 Phal.'Bnoptilus nuttalli califurnicus, Ridqm. Man. N. A. B. p. 588 



(1887) ; Chajim. Auk, 1888, p. 396. 



Adult male. General colour above dark brownish grey, miuutely 

 sprinkled and streaked with black and pale ashy grey ; the top of head 

 and the scapulars show very distinct transverse markings, a character 

 that distinguishes the species from all the other American Goatsuckers ; 

 transverse markings on the head velvety black, bordered with a lino 

 of white ; markings on the scapulars and upper wing-coverts bolder 

 and rather arrow-shaped ; quills dull cinnamon-colour, barred with 

 deep brown, greyish on the tips ; two central rectrices coloured like 

 the upper parts, two lateral pairs with broad, following pair with 

 narrow white edges, which are more or less bordered with shades of 

 buff ; throat blackish brown, annulatcd with pale brown ; a broad 

 band of silvery white across the throat ; feathers of the breast deep 

 brownish black, with silvery grey tips, mottled with brown ; 

 abdomen pale buff, barred with dusky ; lower tail-coverts uniform 

 buff; lower wing-coverts dull cinnamon: "bill black; iris dark 

 hazel ; feet reddish purple, scales and claws darker " {Audubon). 

 Total length about 7'5 inches, wing 6-4 to 5-9, tail 3-7 to 3-9, 

 tarsus 0-65. 



Adidt female. Entirely similar to the male, but the white tips to 

 the outer rectrices generally narrower. 



Younr/. Similar to the adult, but having the patch on the throat 

 buff ; entire plumage lighter, the black markings being less developed, 

 and more or less overspread and mixed with rusty buff or ochracoous. 



Southern and Eastern specimens are perhaps a little smaller and 

 paler on an average, and therefore specimens from Arizona and Texas 

 are distinguished as P. mdtalli mtidus by American ornithologists. 

 These characters, however, are so variable that I greatly doubt 

 whether it will bo possible to maintain this subspecies even if 

 additional material is studied ; I also consider that Californian 

 specimens (P. nuttalli calif ornicus, Eidgw.) belong to the true 

 P. nuttalli. As regards size I find that Californian specimens have 

 the wing from 5'4 to 5-8 inches in length, Colorado specimens 5*5 

 to 5-9, specimens from New Mexico, Arizona, &c., 5"4 to 5-8. 



Bah. From Southern and Central Mexico and Texas throughout 

 New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and California as far north as 

 Oregon and Washington east of the Rocky Mountains. 



a, h. Ad. sk. California. Sclater & Tweeddale 



Colls. 



c. cJ ad.sk. Honey Lake, California, June Salvin-Godman Coll. 



16 {H. W. Henshaw). 



d. cJ ad. sk. Petaluma, California {H. W. Salvin-Godman Coll. 



