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84 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
jar may be told by its large size, the wing being about 7} inches in 
length. The male has white spots on the inner webs of the first 
three primaries ; the female has none of these white spots on the 
wing or tail, but the inner web of the quills is barred with rufous, 
these bars being narrow and at least eight in number. The only 
other South African Nightjar which could be mistaken for the 
female (. ewropeus is the female of Cosmetorius vewillarius (M. 
sperlingi, Sharpe), which is equally large, but has a very broad 
rufous collar and has only sia broad rufous bars on the inner web. 
Fig. Dresser, B. Eur. part xxxv [¢]: Smith, Hl. Zool. 8. Afr. 
lec?) 
79, CaPRIMULGUS PECTORALIS. South-African Nightjar. 
Caprimulgus atrovarius, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 48. 
This species appears to be entirely confined to South Africa, and 
is found about Cape Town, frequenting gardens and orchards. It is 
common at Rondebosch and along the forest-clad eastern face of 
Table Mountain. The late Mr. Andersson procured it at the Knysna, 
where also Victorin found it in May, as well as from July to Sep- 
tember. Mr. H. Atmore has forwarded it from the neighbourhood 
of George, and Mr. T. C. Atmore from Eland’s Post. Mr. Rickard 
records it from Port Elizabeth. 
Like all its congeners, it flies abroad as soon as the twilight begins 
to darken, and often perches on the rails of garden-fences, sitting 
lengthways along them. It has the churring note of the other 
Goatsuckers, and lays two greyish, cream-coloured eggs, shaped 
much the same at each end, freckled and blotched with brown spots 
and patches. Mr. Henry Buckley tells us that the eggs in his col- 
lection measure 1:04 x 0°77 inch, and are of a creamy white colour, 
marked with faint purplish spots, and shaped alike at both ends. 
The nest is a mere depression in the soil, under the shelter of a 
large stone or bush. At Mr. Vigne’s farm, on the River Zonder 
End, a bird of this species has hatched her eggs, for several succes- 
sive years, in a flower-bed close to a well-used path. We saw her 
sitting in the beginning of November; she allowed us to approach 
within two or three feet of her, and never once moved from her 
nest, though we visited her daily. Her eyes were always closed to 
within a mere thread-like crack, out of which she watched every 
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