46 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



Cosmetarnis vexillarius, Sclater in Ibis, 1864, pi. 2. 



Finsch and Hartlaub's Vogel Ost-Afrika's, 



pp. 129, 856. 

 Sharpe's Cat. No. 11. 



I only observed this singular Nightjar in the large 

 forests about one degree south of the river Okavango ; 

 I never saw many of them; and the few that were 

 observed were all found within from twenty to one hun- 

 dred yards of each other. 



This bird, when seen on the wing at dusk, presents a 

 most singular appearance, giving the idea of a huge 

 double-winged bat. 



[Mr. E. B. Sharpe possesses a specimen of this Goatsucker 

 which was obtained by Mr. Andersson at Elephant's Vley, on 

 October 13th, 1859. ED.] 



CYPSELmffi. 



58. Cypselus gllttliralis, Vieill. White-throated Swift. 



Le Martinet & gorge blanche, Levaillant's Ois. d'Afr. pi. 243. 

 Cypselus gutturalis, Tristram in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 887. 

 Cypselus melba, Layard's Oat. No. 74. 

 Sharpe's Cat. No. 16. 



On July 8th, 1866, I observed at Objimbinque a 

 large flight of these Swifts, which, to the best of my 

 recollection, were the first I ever saw in Damara Land. 



Subsequently I observed immense numbers in various 

 places, and particularly noted them as very numerous on 

 the Omaruru Kiver on November 2nd. 



The food of this Swift consists of flies and beetles. 

 The iris is brown, the bill black, the legs flesh-coloured, 

 and the toes brownish. 



