oaprimulqin^. 195 



The Large Bengal Night-jar. 



Descr. — Crown and tertiaries cinerascent, minutely mottled 

 and marked with a stripe of black dashes along the middle of the 

 crown ; upper range of scapularies black, more developed in the 

 male, and bordered more broadly externally with rufescent-white ; 

 a broad white patch in front of the neck, as in several allied 

 species ; a double spot, or interrupted band of white on both 

 webs of the first four primaries, contracted and rufescent in the 

 female ; two outer tail-feathers broadly tipped with white in the 

 male, tinged with fulvous, or rufescent, in the female ; rictorial 

 bristles white at the base, black-tipped. Altogether the females 

 are usually paler, more brown, and less ashy than the males. 



Length 13 inches ; wdng 9 ; extent 25 ; tail 7, exceeding the 

 wing by 2. 



This fine Night-jar is found in the forests of India, extendino^ 

 into Bengal, and to the lower hills of the Himalayas. Tickell 

 states that it is common in the jungles of Central India, skimming 

 over the open parts with a low silent flight. It is not uncommon 

 about Calcutta in gardens and shady spots. I have flushed it in 

 the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, and seen it in the Sikim Terai, 

 but have not myself observed it elsewhere. Its call is like the 

 striking a plank with a hammer, and it has also a low chirp, some- 

 times emitted on the wing. Hutton says that it is a summer visi- 

 tant at Mussooree, and lays two eggs of a rich cream- white colour, 

 or fleshy clay, with patches of a darker brown-red, in April. 



110, Caprimulgus macrourus, Horsfield. 



Br>YTH, Cat. 412 — Horsf., Cat. 132 — Gould, Birds of Austra- 

 lia, 2 pi. 9. 



The Malay Night- jar. 



Descr. — Males have the crown and nape dark brownish-ashy, 

 minutely mottled with black dashes along the crown ; the rufous 

 white margins of the scapulars and wings are narrower than in 

 alhonotatus and atripennis ; the breast and fore-part of the abdomen 

 are dark, contrasting strongly with the liglit bufly tint of the hind 

 part of the belly, vent, and lower tail-coverts, which last tend to 



