CAPIIIMULGUS. 191 



8. F. ix, p. 380 ; Davison, S. F. x, p. 348 ; Tern/, ibid. p. 470 ; 



Oates in Humt^s N. ^- E. 2ad ed. iii, p. 41 ; Hai-iert (C. jotakse 

 ■ 0.), Cat. B. M. xvi, p. 555. 



The Jungle Nightjar, The Neilgherry Nightjar, Jerdon. 



Coloration. Male. General colour above dark brown, more 

 spotted and blotched with black than other Indian species ; crown, 

 nape, and back with black spots and streaks throughout : a 

 partial collar of buff spots, sometimes obsolete ; the black patches 

 on the scapulars generally distinct, but the buff edgings broken 

 up ; rounded, fulvous or whitish spots on the wing-coverts ; black 

 cross-bands on tail generally well-marked ; first four primaries 

 with a white spot, that on first primary very small ; all the tail- 

 feathers except the middle pair with a subterminal w4iite band, 

 the extreme tip dusky or black ; a large white spot forming a 

 band across the throat, and a buff moustachial stripe ; chin to 

 breast very dark, with a few buff or whitish spots ; abdomen and 

 lower tail-coverts buff, banded with darker brown, closely in front, 

 more distantly behind. 



Female. No white tips to tail-feathers ; spots on the primaries 

 small and rufous ; throat-band buff. 



Bill vinous brown, paler at the gape, the tip black ; iris deep 

 brown ; legs and feet vinous brown. 



Dimensions variable: in a large Assamese bird (C jotaka), 

 length 12-5, tail 5*6, wing 8-5, tarsus '65 ; in small Ceylon speci- 

 mens (C 7i-eZrtrtrfi), length about 10-5, tail 5'25, wing 7'25, tarsus "H. 

 Tarsus feathered throughout. 



Hume and others have shown that although typical C. l-elaarti 

 from Ceylon is greyer and smaller than ordinary Indian speci- 

 mens (C. indicus), it is impossible to distinguish them. Hima- 

 layan and Assamese specimens are larger still, and Japanese 

 typical C. jotaka largest of all, but there is a complete gradation, 

 and all appear to belong to one species. According to Hume 

 there is a difi'erence in the call between C. jotaJca and C. indicus 

 (C. Tcelaarti) ; but it is difficult to find any distinctive character in 

 the birds. 



Distribution. From the Amur and Japan to Cochin China, 

 Malacca, Java, Borneo, and New Guinea ; and locally throughout 

 [ndia and Ceylon, this Nightjar being found in the lower Ilima- 

 layas, the Punjab, Mount Abu, the forest tracts of the Indian 

 Peninsula, and especially the hills of Southern India and Ceylon, 

 and scattered sparingly throughout Burma. 



Habits, Sfc. In many places this bird is said to be migratorv. 

 It is especially a forest form, appearing at the edge of forest in 

 the evening, and uttering its call in the twilight. The breeding- 

 season in India appears to be generally from March to May, 

 but eggs have been taken at Eaipur in August — much like 

 those of other Nightjars, salmon-coloured to creamy-white with 

 pale purplish and darker brown markings, and they measure about 

 1-15 by -86. 



