2A) SPOLIA ZEYLANIGA. 
CAPRIMULGUS ASIATICUS (Blanford, Vol. TIT., p. 186: 
Legge, p. 343). 
The Common Indian Nightjar. 
Description.—General colour of upper plumage sandy gray 
finely pencilled with brown ; forehead and centre of crown 
striped with black ; the feathers of the back with dark shaft- 
stripes ; round the neck a broad collar of buff speckled with 
black ; scapulars velvety black with broad margins of rich 
buff ; paler buff patches on the wing coverts. Wing quills 
dark brown, the first four primaries each with a large white 
spot in the middle, the secondaries barred with rufous-buft ; 
middle tail feathers coloured like the back, but with indistinet 
narrow cross bars, the two outer pairs with large white tips, 
and the outermost pair with buff margins to the outer web. 
Moustache stripe whitish-buff ; on each side of the throat a 
patch of white feathers tipped with buff and black ; rest of 
lower parts buff barred indistinctly with brown ; lower tail 
coverts buff without any bars. Sexes alike. 
Bill reddish, the tip black ; iris deep brown ; legs and feet 
fleshy brown. 
Length 9; wing 5°75; tail 4; tarsus -8; bill from gape 
1-2. Females rather smaller. 
Distribution.—Common all over the low-country, except in 
the wet forest zone, and ascends to about 4,000 feet in the 
drier parts of the hills. It occurs throughout the greater 
part of India and Burma, except on the higher hills and in the 
large forests. 
Habits, &c.—This species haunts scrub jungle, especially 
low sandy scrub near the sea ; it is also fond of open tracts 
near woods and chenas. Any one motoring after dark in the 
wilder parts of the Island will probably flush dozens of them 
off the road. During the day they roost on the bare ground, 
between bushes, and can almost be trodden on before they get 
up. The cry starts off with a slow chuk, which is repeated at 
quickening intervals, and exactly resemble the sound of a 
stone skimming across a stretch of ice. The breeding season 
is about April, and again in August. The two eggs are 
laid on the bare ground, generally in the shelter of a bush 
