27. NYCTI'DROMUS. (Gr. wé, gen. 
CAPRIMULGIDA — CAPRIMULGINZ: TRUE GOATSUCKERS. 449 
all our genera excepting Chordediles, the rictal bristles are an inch or more in length, in a firm 
regular series along the gape—they are relatively longer and stiffer than the whiskers of a eat. 
Our several genera are readily discriminated by good characters of the nostrils, enormous rictal 
bristles, and comparatively short wings of the Night-jars proper, in comparison with the slight 
bristles, forked tail and long pointed wings of Chordediles; they respectively represent two 
sections of the subfamily — Setirostres, bristled-billed (fig. 289), and Glabrirostres, smovoth- 
billed (fig. 290). In both the feet are so extremely short that the birds cannot pereh in the 
usual way, but sit lengthwise on a large branch, or crouch on the ground. They lay two 
lengthened. white or thickly spotted eggs, on or near the ground, in stumps, etc. The sexes 
are distinguishable, but nearly alike. The voice is peculiar, and has given several of the 
species their fanciful onomatopoetic names. Migratory. 
Oss. Since the orig. ed. of the Key was published, a fine genus and species, Nyctidromus 
albicollis, has been added to our Fauna. ‘‘ Nuttall’s Whippoorwill” has been made the type of 
a new genus, Phalenoptilus, on the ground of its naked feet, short square tail, and other good 
characters. The common whippoorwill has been referred back to the old genus Caprimulgus. 
While it certainly differs from the chuck-will’s-widow, type of Antrostomus, in not having the 
rictal bristles garnished with lateral filaments, and is not very obviously different from Capri- 
mulgus of the Old World, it may be best to keep it with Antrostomus, where all the New 
World species are usually referred, until the limits of the respective genera are better under- 
stood. 
Analysis of Genera. 
A. Setirostres. Long rictal bristles. Plumage very lax. 
Tarsus extensively feathered. Nostrils not extensively tubular. 
Tail rounded, much shorter than wing. Primaries all mottled, without white spaces. Eggs 
colored. Large and medium-sized... . neh! snaked ues ete | -AILEVOSLOMUS, LES 
Tarsus naked, except on joint above. Nostrils Bueenaivels ones 
Tail square, much shorter than wing. Primaries all mottled, without white spaces. Eggs color- 
lesss= small) ((Western:)) 302.) =). ; . . . + Phalenoptilus 129 
Tail rounded, about as long as wing. Outer Settings ese petite colored, with great white 
spaces. Eggscolored. Very large (Southwestern.). ...... . . . « Nyetidromus 127 
B. Glabrirostres. No long rictal bristles. Plumage more compact. 
Tarsus moderately feathered. Nostrils not extensively tubular. 
Tail forked, much shorter than the pointed wing. Outer primaries mostly whole-colored, with 
great white spaces. Eggs colored. Medium-sized . ........ . .. Chordediles 130 
vuktos, nux, nuctos, night; Spdpos, 
dromos, act of coursing. Fig. 291.) 
Nicut Coursers. Nostrils prolonged 
as cylindric tubes opening forward and 
outward.  Rictal bristles immense, 
simple ; other bristle-tipped or bristle- 
bearded feathers about the bill. Tar- 
sus lengthened, but not exceeding the 
middle toe without claw, naked except 
just on the joint. Wing scarcely 
rounded; tipped by 2d, 3d, and 4th 
quills, lst longer than 5th, folding to 
about the middle of the tail, which is 
rounded, and approximately of equal 
length with the wing. Plumage not Fic. 291. — Head, foot, and pectinated claw of Nyctidromus, 
nat. size. (Ad nat. del. R. Ridgway.) 
so lax as in a whippoorwill; in this, as 
in the stiffish primaries with little marbling but great white spaces, and the under parts barred 
crosswise, is seen an approach to Chordediles, between which genus and Phalenoptilus Nycti- 
29 
