182 CYPSELID^. 



1088. Macropteryx comata. The Tufted Tree-Swift. 



Cypselus comatus, Teiymi. PL Col. 268 (1824). 



Macropteryx comata, Blyth, Cat. p. 87; Oates, B. B. ii, p. 14; 



Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 517. 

 Dendrochelidon comata, Horsf. ^ M. Cat. i, p. 110 ; Hume, S. F. iii, 



p. 318; id. Cat. no. 104 bis; Hume Sr JJav. S. F. vi, p. 51. 



Coloration. Male. Crown, nape, throat, sides of neck just behind 

 ear-coverts, and upper and under wing-coverts metalUc purpUsh 

 blue ; narrow frontal baud, long supercilia, chin, and broad mous- 

 tachial stripes, extending back below and beyond the ear-coverts, 

 white ; lores black ; ear-coverts chestnut ; wing and tail-feathers 

 blackish, glossed with purplish blue ; back, rump, upper tail-coverts, 

 breast, and abdomen brown, glossed with bronze ; lower tail-coverts 

 white. 



In the female the ear-coverts are metallic blue. The young has 

 probably brown and white edges to the feathers. 



Crest small ; superciliary and moustachial stripes ending behind 

 in long tufts. Bill black ; irides dark brown ; legs and feet purplish 

 pink (Davison). 



Length about 6-3 inches ; tail 3, the outer feathers exceeding 

 the middle pair by 1-5 ; wing 5 ; tarsus -25. 



Distribution. Malay Peninsula and Archipelago, including Celebes 

 and the Philippines, extending into the extreme south of Tenasserim 

 as far as Choungthanoung, 90 miles south of Mergui. 



Suborder CAPRIMULGI. 



Cseca present and functional. Oil-gland nude. Palate schizo- 

 gnathous, the vomer truncated behind ; basipterygoid processes 

 present. Sternum with a broad shallow incision on each side 

 behind. Semitendinosus muscle present. Aftershaft to feathers 

 very small. 



Nest none : the eggs, generally two in number, are laid on the 

 ground and (doubtless because of the protection thereby afforded) 

 differ from those of all other Macrochires by being coloured. The 

 young are hatched helpless, but covered with down. All members 

 of this suborder are crepuscular and nocturnal. 



A. single family. 



