400 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Antrostomus. Gape with bristles ; tarsi moderate, partly feathered ; tail broad, con- 

 sideraljly rounded ; plumage soft. 



Nyctidromus. Gape with bristles ; tarsi lengthened, bare ; tail broad, rounded ; 

 plumage soft. 



Genus CHORDEILES, Swainson. 



Chordeiles, Swainson, Fauna Bor. Amer. II, 1831, 496. (Tyiw, Cajmmulgiis virginianus.) 



Gen. Char. Bill small, the nostrils depressed ; the gape with feeble, inconspicuous 

 "bristles. Wings long, narrow, and pointed ; the first quill nearly or quite equal to the 

 second. Tail rather narrow, slightly forked ; plumage quite compact. Habits diurnal 

 or crepuscular. 



Many species of this genus belong to America, although but two that are 

 well characterized enter into the fauna of the United States. These are 

 easily distinguished as follows : — 



Species and Varieties. 



C. popetue. White patch on primaries extending over the five outer quills, 

 anterior to their middle portion. No rufous spots on quills, anterior to the 

 white patch. 



a. Dark mottling predominating on upper parts ; lower tail-coverts dis- 

 tinctly banded. 



Wing, 8.00 ; tail, 4.40. Hob. Eastern Province of United States 

 and Northwest coast wss. popetue. 



Wing, 6.90 ; tail, 4.00. More rufous mottling on scapulars and 

 jugulum, and a decided ochraceous tinge below. Hah. West 

 Indies ........... var. minor} 



b. Light mottling predominating on upper parts ; lower tail-coverts 

 only very indistinctly and sparsely banded. 



Size of var. popetue. Hah. Middle Province of United States 



var. henryi. 

 C. acutipennis. White patch on primaries extending over only four outer 

 quills, and beyond their middle portion ; distinct rufous spots on quills, 

 anterior to the white patch. 



Wing, 6.20 to 6.50; tail, 3.90 to 4.10. Hah. South America. 



var. acutipennis} 

 Wing, 7.00 to 7.30 ; tail, 4.40 to 4.75 ; Colors not appreciably 

 different. Hah. Middle America, north into southern border of 

 United States . var. t ex en sis. 



1 CliordeiUs popetue, var. minor, Cabanis. Clwrdcihs miliar, Cab. Journ. f. Orn. 1856, p. 5. 

 — ScLATER, Catal. Am. B. 1862, 279. Ch. gundlachi, Lawr. Ann. N. Y. Lye. VI, 165. 



^ Chordeiles acutipennis, (Bodd.) Cass. Caprimulgus acutipennis, Bodd^rt, Tab. PI. Enl. 

 p. 46 (1783). Chordeiles a. Cassin, P. A. N. S. 1851 (Catalogue of Caprimidgidce, in Mus. 

 Philad. Acad.). Caprimulgus acutus, Gmel. C. pruinosus, TscHUDi. C. exilis. Lesson. 

 Chordeiles labeculatus, Jardfxe. "Caprimulgus semitorquatus, L., Gm., Pr. Max." Tschudi. 

 Chordeiles peruvianus, Peale. Hab. South America. 



