15S INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS 



SPOTTED NIGHTJAR, 



Eurostopus argus, Hartert. 



U-ros Id-piis dr'gus. 

 Euros, the east wind ; topos, place ; argiis, bright. 



Eurostopus argus, a preserved and mounted specimen in the 

 National Museum. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9. 



Key to the Species. — Freckled grey and brown; large white 

 patch at side of neck ; abdomen and under tail coverts uniform 

 rusty brown ; mouth is deeply cleft and gape is very wide ; 

 wing less than 9 inches, tail 6^ inches. 



The Nightjars are nocturnal birds. The four Australian 

 species are all found in Victoria, and it is remarkable that 

 the plumages are said to vary with the nature of the soils 

 the birds frequent. Between two of them there is so 

 strong a likeness that in the identification it is only safe to 

 keep to measurements. This is how Mr. Hartert, an 

 English nomenclator, leads me to put it. The other 

 species is E. albigularis, and it has the wing more than 

 9*5 inches in length. A third species is Caprimulgus 

 niacrurus, Hors., with the four outer primaries spotted 

 white and the wing 7^ inches in length. The fourth 

 species is the Owlet Nightjar, specially referred to on the 

 following page. 



In appearance, for the sake of common description, they 

 might be called miniature " Moreporks." While hawking 

 for insects in the twilight the movements of this species 

 are particularly rapid. During the day it is found upon 

 the ground, or close to it, reposing in slumber. Judging by 

 the scarcity of the bird in winter time, it, in all probability, 

 goes further north to winter, to get the advantage of a 

 warmer latitude. Like nearly all the night-flying birds, 



