638 NIGHT/JAR 
NIGHTJAR or GOATSUCKER, a bird from very ancient times 
absurdly believed to have the habit implied by one of the common 
names it bears in many European tongues besides our own—as 
testified by the Greek AiyoOjAas, the Latin Caprimulgus, Italian 
Succiacapre, Spanish Chotacabras, French Tettechévre, and German 
Ziegenmelker. It is admittedly the type of a very peculiar and 
distinct Family, Caprimulgidx, a group remarkable for the flat head, 
enormously wide mouth, large eyes, and soft, pencilled plumage 
of its members, which vary in size from that of a Lark to that of a 
Jay. Its position has been variously assigned by systematists. 
Prof. Huxley considered it to form, with two other Families—the 
Cypselide (Swikt) and Trochilide (HUMMING-BIRD)—the division 
CYPSELOMORPHH. The same view was taken in 1884 by Dr. 
Reichenow ; but in 1885 Dr. Stejneger proposed to place it ina 
“Superorder ” Coracoidex along with Steatornis (GUACHARO), Coraciidx 
(RoLLER) and Leptosomatide ; while in 1888, Prof. Fiirbringer put 
it between the Rollers and OWLs, with which it forms in his opinion 
a group Coraciiformes. There are two ways of regarding the 
Caprimulgide—one including the genus Podargus (MOREPORK) and 
its allies, the other recognizing them as a distinct Family, Podargidx, 
as is done among others by Mr. Hartert (Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xvi. 
pp. 519-654). As a matter of convenience the last are here 
comprehended in the Caprimulgidx, which will then contain two 
subfamilies, Cuprimulgine and Podargine ; for what, according to 
older authors, constitutes a third, though represented only by 
Steatornis, the singular GUACHARO or Oil-bird, certainly requires 
separation as an independent Family. 
Some of the differences between the Caprimulgine and Podarginx 
were pointed out by Mr. Sclater (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1866, p. 123), and 
are very obvious. In the former, the outer toes have four phalanges 
only, thus presenting a very uncommon character among Birds, and 
the middle claws are pectinated ; while in the latter the normal 
number of five phalanges is found, the claws are smooth, and other 
distinctions more recondite have also been indicated by him (tom. 
cit. p. 582). The Caprimulgine may be further divided into those 
having the gape thickly beset by strong bristles, and those in which 
there are few such bristles or none—the former containing the 
truth, he cut out her tongue to hinder her from revealing his deceit ; but she 
depicted her sad story on a robe which she sent to Procne ; and the two sisters 
then contrived a horrible revenge for the infidelity of Tereus, by killing and serv- 
ing to him at table his son Itys. Thereupon the gods interposed, changing 
Tereus into a Hoopoe, Procne into a Swallow, and Philomela into a Nightingale, 
while Itys was restored to life as a Pheasant, and Pandion (who had died of grief 
at his daughters’ dishonour) as a Bird-of-Prey (see Osprey). The fable has 
several variants. Ovid’s version may be seen in the 6th Book of his Jeta- 
morphoses (lines 412-676). 
