STEATORNIN^. iHl 



mottled brown ; the throat white, witli a narrow pectoral collar 

 of brown ; and the rest beneath Avhite, with many of the feathers 

 partially mottled brown, as if in a state of change. Length, lOi 

 inches ; wing 5^ ; tail 5 ; bill at gape 1 ^. 



Hogdson's bird was procured, I believe, in Sikim ; but I did 

 not myself obtain a specimen whilst at Darjeeling. 



Besides the species of this group already alluded to, there is 

 another, of large size, Batrach. atiritus, from IMalayana, figured in 

 Gould's Icones Avium, pi. 7 ; and B. stellatus, Gould, the crinifrons 

 of Temm., according to Horsfield. This is probably an Otothriv. 

 The first of these is the Bombycistoma Fullertoni of Hay, J. A. S., X, 

 which generic name he gave it on the idea that it fed on the large 

 Atlas moth. 



Other genera of the sub-family are Podargus, from the Austra- 

 lian region ; ^gotheles, also from New Holland ; and Steaiornis 

 from South America. This last genus contains the remarkable St. 

 Caripensis, or Guacharo bird, as large as a fowl nearly, which lives 

 in caverns, and sallies out at night to feed on fruit. The young get 

 very fat, and are collected at certain seasons and boiled down for oil. 

 Some of the species of Podargus are of large size. They perch 

 freely on trees, sit upright, and Gould says that the outer toe is 

 reversible. Mr. Blyth, however, who macerated a specimen, asserts 

 that it cannot be fully reversed. Mr. Gould says that the birds com- 

 posing the genus vEgotheles, which are of small size, are remarkably 

 like the smaller Owls in their habits and actions. Like Podargus 

 they have an erect carriage, stoop their heads and hiss at any tiling 

 that alarms them, and turn their heads round to watch a stranger. 

 Surely this is something more than simple analogy. Nyctibius, 

 another genus of this group, is found both in Africa and America. 



Sub-fam. Caprimulgin^. 



Bill small, weak, flexible ; nostrils tubular ; wings long, usually 

 the 2nd. quill the longest ; tail usually long ; lateral toes short, equal, 

 or nearly so ; middle toe long, with the claw pectinated on the 

 inner margin ; hallux short, sometimes reversible. 



The true Goatsuckers are found in most parts of the world. The 

 tarsus is often feathered ; the basal portion of the toes is connected 



