CAPEIMULGUS RUFICOLLIS DESERTORUM 89 



tips are sometimes found on the three outer pairs of rectrices, at other times 

 only on two, while on the primaries, besides the large white patches on the 

 three outer pairs, there is often a small patch, or an indication of one, on 

 the fourth primary. 



The form of Eufous-naped Nightjar occurring in Tunisia, and 

 breeding south of the Atlas, has been separated by Baron v. Erlanger, 

 from typical C. ruficollis, Temm. on account of its somewhat paler 

 and more rufous coloration (J. f. 0. 1899, p. 521). This difference 

 appears also to have been noticed, and pointed out by Dr. Hartert, 

 when treating of the Caprimulgidce in the British Museum Collection 

 (Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. vol. xvi., p. 53'2), and although slight, it certainly 

 exists, and is apparently constant, as shown by the series of speci- 

 mens in my collection from Tunisia. The form is no doubt a good 

 geographical one, and must therefore be allowed subspecitic rank, 

 although its points of difference or divergence from the typical form 

 are less marked than in the case of some other desert races or 

 subspecies. Presumably there is no migration of this desert form 

 further north than Tunisia, except it be perhaps for an occasional 

 rare straggler. In the more southern parts of Algeria it doubtless 

 occurs, but in Marocco, according to what Erlanger writes, and 

 judging from a single specimen in my collection, obtained near the 

 City of Marocco, the darker form only occurs. Erlanger seems to 

 have noticed a slight difference in colour between specimens he 

 obtained in districts north, and those south of the Tunisian Atlas, 

 although both were always paler than typical C. ruficollis from Spain 

 and Marocco. I cannot say I have noticed any difference between 

 the examples in my collection from northern and southern Tunisian 

 districts, all appearing identical in coloration. 



The habitat proper of the Eufous-naped Nightjars is South-west 

 Europe and North-west Africa, in the latter of which countries the 

 range of the species extends throughout Marocco, Algeria and Tunisia. 

 From Tripoli there appears to be no record of its occurrence up to 

 the present time, but the species probably occurs there in limited 

 numbers, and in its pale desert form, as in Tunisia. In the Eegency 

 this Nightjar, though far from uncommon, is apparently less abundant 

 than it is further west, in Algeria and Marocco, where it seems to be 

 as plentiful in certain districts as it is in South Spain. The species is 

 further reported to occur in some of the Canary Islands. Examples 



