28 FRIENDS OF THE AGRICULTURIST 



or brown colour and not easy of description, except by 

 scientifically worded diagnoses. One member is a con- 

 spicuous exception, this being the beautiful Standard- 

 winged Nightjar (Cosmetornis vexillaris), which has the 

 ninth primary wing-feather elongated to something like 

 three times the length of the bird. 



It is only an inhabitant of the more tropical portions, 

 ranging from Zululand northwards to Mashonaland and 

 across to the northern parts of Damaraland ; it has been 

 taken at Pretoria. 



In the neighbourhood of Grahamstown we should say 

 the commonest species is the South African Nightjar 

 (Caprimulgus pectoraMs}, of which we give two illustra- 

 tions, both exhibiting the wonderful assimilative (and 

 consequently protective) coloration possessed by these 

 birds. In the large picture the bird is sitting on its eggs 

 amongst the debris of leaves, twigs, &c., and can be located 

 near the centre of the picture. Some searching will be 

 necessary to find the bird, even in the photograph, so the 

 degree of perfection to which the protective value of the 

 the plumage is developed in the living bird can well be 

 imagined. 



The bird sits very close and still when incubating. In 

 the case of the photograph of the Nightjar sitting on its 

 eggs three exposures were made extending over a period 

 of ninety minutes, as it was thought that the bird might 

 assume different positions, but it remained so still that 

 no difference can be detected in the three exposures made. 



In the Central Transvaal the commonest species is the 

 Rufous-cheeked Nightjar (C. rufigena) , whose name serves 

 to point out the birds' most distinguishing feature. 



The European Nightjar (C. europceus) wends its way to 

 South Africa during our summer. 



