PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 5 



white patch and generally darker colors. This new race may be char- 

 acterized as follows : 



Perisoreus canadensis fumifrons, Riilgw. 



Ch. — Similar to canade)ifii8 proper, but colors darker and more dingy throughout, 

 and the white of the forehead obscured, or even sometimes almost wholly obliterated, 

 by a wash of smoky gray or brown. 



Nab. — Coast of Alaska. 



265. Caprimulgus vociferus, Wils. — I can see no reason whatever 

 for removing this bird from the genus Caprimulgus. The type of 

 ^^ Antrostomns''^ is the C. caroUnensis, Gmel., which differs from all the 

 other Caprimnlgi (so far as I am aware) in possessing line lateral fila- 

 ments to the rictal bristles, so that, in case this character be deemed 

 snfficient, the genus Antrostomus may stand, if restricted to the single 

 species possessing this feature. {Cf. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., I, pp. 142, 

 143, pis. i, ii.) 



266. PhalyEnoptilus nuttalli (Aud.) Eidgw. — This species is de- 

 cidedly peculiar in the combination of its salient points of structure, 

 having a lengthened, naked tarsus, like N'yctidromus, a character- 

 istically velvety plumage, short, even tail, and unique wing-formula; 

 features which, taken together, render it a very well-marked genus, 

 which may be characterized as follows : — 



Phal^noptilus, gen. nov. 



Ch. — Differing from Caprimulgus and "Antrostomus^' in the short, even tail (much 

 shorter than the wing), aud lengthened, perfectly naked tarsus (longer than the mid- 

 dle toe), the first quill shorter than the fourth, and the plumage with a peculiar, 

 velvety, moth-like surface. 



Type, Cajjrimulfjus nuttalli, Aud. 



As stated on pages 142, 143, Proceedings of the United States National 

 Museum, Vol. I (1878), the characters supposed to separate the Amer- 

 ican Antrostomi from the Old World species of Ca^rrimulgus, particularly 

 the type of the latter genus (C. euro])cvi(s, L.), are wholly intangible, 

 with the exception of A. carolinensis, which has minute lateral filaments 

 to the rictal bristles, these being in all other species perfectly smooth, 

 or simple. On the other hand, the CaprimuJf/n.s mittaUi of Audubon 

 has so many decided peculiarities of structure that it is somewhat a 

 matter of surprise that its place in the genus ^'- Antrostomus^^ has not 

 been questioned ere this. In fact, P. nuttalli is quite as distinct in its 

 external structure from " A." vociferns and its allies as is the Nyctidro- 

 mus albicollis. The more j^rominent dilierences of structure iu these 

 forms may readily be seen by comparison of the birds themselves, or by 

 examination of the outline drawings of plates I and II of the volume 

 of the " Proceedings " referred to above. 



268. Chordeiles acutipennis texensis (Lawr.) B. B. & R. — The Chor- 

 deiles texensis of Lawrence is merely a slightly different northern form 



