CAPRIMULGID^ CAPRIMULGUS 39 



it extends to the Cunone river (Andersson), in northern Damara- 

 land and westwards to Eustenburg (Ayres), in the Transvaal, 

 where it is stated to be fairly common. Although mentioned by 

 Hartlaub (" Ibis," 1862, p. 143) as occurring close to Cape Town, 1 

 think this must be a mistake, as Mr. Layard who sent the birds to 

 Dr. Hartlaub to examine does not mention it as occurring near 

 Cape Town in his work, nor is there a specimen in the South 

 African Museum. Beyond our limits this bird is said to be found 

 in Abyssinia, though hitherto not recorded from intermediate 

 countries. 



Habits. — Mr. Ayres states: "This is the only kind of Nightjar 

 which I met with about Eustenburg ; they frequent the edges of 

 bushy hill-sides, getting well under shelter during the day and coming 

 out to feed in the open in the evening. They are generally solitary, 

 and I never found more than two together." 



397. Caprimulgus fossii. Mozambique Nightjar. 



Caprimulgus fossii, Hartl. Orn. W. Afr. p. 23 (1857) ; Finsch d- 

 Hartl. Vog. Ost-Afrihas, p. 123, pi. i (1870) ; Holuh & Pelzeln, 

 Orn. Siicl-Afrikas, p. 53 (1882) ; Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 551 

 (1892) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 107 (1896) ; Hartert, Tierreich, Poclarg. 

 p. 45 (1897) ; Woodward Bros. Natal B. p. 86 (1899) ; Alexatider, 

 Ibis, 1900, p. 93 [Zambesi River]; Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 254 

 [Salisbury]. 



Caprimulgus mossambicus, Peters, Journ. Ornith. 1868, p. 134 ; 

 Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 88, 803 (1875-84); Oates, 

 Matabeleland, p. 300 (1881) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 250 [Umfuli E.] ; 

 Sijmo7ids, Ibis, 1887, p. 327 [Kroonstad]. 



DescriiJtion. Male. — General colour above, ashy-grey mottled 

 with bold black stripes and a little pale rufous, a more or less 

 distinct pale rufous collar round the hind neck ; lesser wing-coverts 

 and secondaries with white tips; primary quills dark brown with 

 well-marked white spots on both webs, except in the case of the 

 first ; tail irregularly barred with black and tinged on the edge with 

 pale rufous, the outer web and tip of the outer feather white ; below 

 pale ochre, the throat, breast, and flanks narrowly barred with 

 blackish ; a conspicuous white spot on either side of the throat ; 

 under wing-coverts orange-buff. 



Iris dark brown ; bill pale ; culmen and tip dusky ; legs and 

 feet dusky-brown. 



