184 CAPBlMULGIi)^. 



i^ A white spot in J on first four 

 primaries ; tarsi feathered through- 

 out C. 7nacrurus, p. 188. 



d". Black spots over nearly whole crown . C. atidamanicus, p. 190. 

 d'. Four outer pairs of tail-feathers with 



subterminal white spots in J C. indicus, p. 190. 



The habits of all Nightjars are similar. They rest usually on 

 the ground amongst vegetation or stones during the day, and issue 

 forth at dusk to feed. Their food consists of insects, and largely 

 of beetles, which they capture, chiefly at all events, on the wing. 

 Their flight is noiseless and tolerably rapid. From time to time 

 they settle on the ground, on a stump of a tree, or a branch, or on 

 a stone, and thence utter a peculiar rather monotonous reiterated 

 note, which varies much in different species. When a Nightjar 

 perches it selects a branch of considerable size, and sits as a rule 

 longitudinally, not across like an ordinary passerine bird, and 

 whenever it alights it rests with its whole body on the ground or 

 perch. Besides their calls most Nightjars have a chuckling note, 

 uttered during flight. 



The following terms are generic and apply to all Nightjars : — 

 Chippalc or Chcqjpa, H. ; commonly Dab-churl or Dahhalc (dabna to 

 crouch) and Andha-cMriya (blind-bird) ; Kcipa, Mahr. ; As Tcappri 

 (jadu, Tel., also Kappa pitta (frog-bird) ; Bimhasa, Bahasa, OmereU 

 liya, Cing. ; Pathekai (roadside-bird), Pay-marretai (devil-bird), 

 Tamul in Ceylon ; Tamor, Lepcha ; Wapatshai, Naga ; Hnet-pyin, 

 Burmese. 



1089. Caprimulgus mahrattensis. SyTcess Nightjar. 



Caprimulo;us mahrattensis, Sykes, P. Z. S. 18.32, p. 83 ; id. J. A. S.B, 

 iii, p. 422 ; Hor^f. 4' M. C«i. i , p. 1 1 4 ; Blijth, Ihis, 1862, pp. .304, 386 ; 

 Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 197 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xli, pt. 2, p. 232 ; 

 Hayes Lloyd, Ibis, 1873, p. 406 ; Hume, S. i^. i, p. 167 ; iii, p. 4o5 ; 

 id. Cat. no. 113 ; C. H T. S,- G. F. L. Marshall, S. F. iii, p. 331 ; 

 Fairhank, S. F. iv, p. 254 ; Blunford, East. Vers, ii, p. 128 ; Butler, 

 S. F. vii, p. 181 ; ix, p. 381 ; I)oig, S. F. viii, p. 372 ; Bnr7ies, Birds 

 Bom. p. 92 ; id. Jour. Bom. N. H. Soc. iv, p. 8, pi. tig. 113 (egg) ; 

 Gates in Hume's N. 8f E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 49 ; HarteH, Cat. B. M. 

 xvi, p. 561. 



Caprimulgus arenarius, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 21 (1846). 



Coloration. Male. General tint of the upper parts sandy grey, 

 mottled and vermiculated with but few and small black streaks 

 and spots, none on the back, whilst those on the head and 

 scapulars consist of transverse spots, each produced in the middle 

 down the shaft of a feather, the rest of the feather buff ; sometimes 

 there is a collar of buff spots, but this is often inconspicuous ; 

 much buff on the wing-coverts ; a large white spot on the middle 

 of the first three primaries ; middle tail-feathers pale buffy grey, 

 with distinct but very broken and irregular blackish cross bars ; 

 two outermost pairs with pure white ends l^-lg inches long; 

 lower parts ftdvous grey with dusky mottUng, a white spot on 



