312 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie Grant on Birds 



darker and more uniform ; the two outer pairs of tail-feathers 

 black, irregularly barred with rufous and with only the 

 terminal part (08 inch) of both webs white. Iris brown ; 

 bill black ; legs brown. Total length about 10-0 inches, 

 exposed part of culmen 0-45, Ming 61, tail 4-3, tarsus 072. 

 [I believe this Goatsucker to be not uncommon in Shoa : 

 it is rather lighter in colour than C. poliocephalus, and I 

 believe that I saw it more than once, about dusk and in 

 the early morning. — L.] 



194. SCOTORNIS CLIMACURUS. 



Scotornis climacnrus (Vieill.) ; Hartert, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 

 xvi. p. 596 (189.:i). 



a. ? Blue Nile, 15 May, 1899. (No. 522.) 



Iris brown ; bill and legs dusky. 



[A very common bird on the Blue Nile, large numbers 

 coming down to drink at the river just after the time of 

 the Sand-Grouse. This Nightjar drinks like the Swallow 

 and Swift. Captain Hunter kindly shot two specimens for 

 me. — L,] 



195. MACROUyPTKRVX MACRODIPTERUS. 



Macrodypteryx macrodipterus (Afzel) ; Hartert, Cat. B. 

 Brit. Mus. xvi. p. 594 (1892). 



a. ^ . Wama, Abyssinia, 12 March, 1899. (No. 404.) 



b. (J. Mendi, „ 31 March, 1899. (No. 466.) 



c. S imm. Meudi, Abyssinia, 2 April, 1899. (No. 470 ) 



d. S- „ „ 3 April, 1899. (No. 473.) 



e. S ioim- ,y V •!• April, 1899. (No. 476.) 

 Iris, bill, and legs dark brown. 



[On the wing the male of this curious Goatsucker looks 

 like a bird followed by two small bats attached to it by 

 strings. When at rest the two elongate racquet-shaped 

 quills were always extended beyond the tail, and the bird 

 was never observed to erect them vertically above the back : 

 indeed it seems impossible that it should be able to do so. 

 These long wing-feathers apparently give it a great ad- 

 vantage in seeking its food, as the crop was always found 

 full of night-beetles and flying-bugs even at early dusk. 



