



GOAT-SUCKERS. 



GOAT-SUCK KKS. 



ten 



enormous width, by which, Mipcnulded to their amazing flight and 

 rapidity of movement, they are almost sure to capture their prey. 

 Who that ha* watched the (wallow or the goat-sucker has failed to 

 recognise the*a peculiar perfection! T A* the nocturnal goatsucker* 

 frequently prey upon beetle* and large moths, the mouth, in such 

 species, is defended by itiff bristles ; but these appendages are 

 rendered unnecessary to the swallows ; their game consisting entirely 

 of those little soft insects seen in the air on a summer's evening or 

 s|>orting on the flowers of a sunny field. The goat-sucker* choose the 

 twilight, and catch their food precisely in the same way, excepting, 

 indeed, that their little short feet are sometimes used for the same 

 purpose, a most singular part of their economy, first noticed by our 

 countryman White. Some of these nocturnal birds (Poyardut,* Cuv.) 

 have a bill nearly as strong ss an owl's ; others are furnished with 

 forked tail* of excessive length ; and one species, discovered during 

 our researches in Brazil (CaprimiUgut diurnal, Temm.) quits the 

 nocturnal habits of its congeners, and in cloudy days may be seen in 

 troops of 15 or 20 skimming over the surface of ponds, precisely, in 

 the manner of swallows." Mr. Swainson then remarks that the 

 Swallows and the Goat-Suckers are, in fact, connected by certain 

 swifts, for the Balassiau Swift is described as a nocturnal bird, appear- 

 ing at sunset and going to rest at sunrise ; and thus he enters the 

 family Hiruntiinidir. [HmfXDixiD*.] 



The Cai>riuiulyii!(t, according to Mr. Swuiuson's classification, consist 

 of the following genera and sub-genera. But it should be remembered 

 that he states that he bos thought it best not to attempt a natural 

 arrangement until the family is better understood. 



The following are the characters of the family : Plumage lax, soft. 

 Bill exceedingly small ; gape enormous ; feet very short, weak ; the 

 hnllux directed forwards. (Swaiusou.) 



Podargut, Cuvier. Size large ; the middle claw not serrated ; the 

 ballux not directed forward. 



Sub-genera, Podargut proper. Bill large, very strong, the tip and 

 margins of the upper mandiUe folding over those of the loner ; cul- 

 men elevated and arched ; true rictal bristles none ; tongue very thin, 

 entire ; tarsus short. (Swainson.) 



Several species of this sub-genus have been found in Australia, and 

 we select as an example of these 



P. AiuuraJu. It is variegated above with ashy brown and dirty 

 yellow ; head and sides of the back conspicuously striped with black ; 

 forehead and dorsal plumage lightly dotted and banded with white ; 

 tesseUted beneath with black stripes and approximating dirty yellow 

 bands. Length of the body 20 inches, and of the tail 84 inches. 



Co'.d- Hirer Coat-Sucker (PoJargtii luimrralit). 



Mr. Vigors and Dr. Homfield observe that the birds of this genus 

 in the collection of the Lintncan Society bear such a general resem- 

 l.lwice to rach other, that they felt some hesitation in describing them 

 n.< different species. The careful examination of many individuals in 

 their own country will, in the opinion of these zoologists, alone deter- 

 mine with certainty whether they are distinct or merely varieties of 

 Podarfut mart be meant. 



the same species from age or sex. They state however that Dr. 

 Latham, as well as themselves, distinguished this as a species under 

 the name of the Cold-River Uoat-Sucker from the Wedge-Tailed 

 Goat-Sucker (Podargut Stanicyantu). Mr. Swainson also cites it as a 



-i . :.-. 



P. Jaranauii of Horcfield, the Cbnbba-Wonno of the Javanese, is 

 an Asiatic example of this genus. In general colour it is ferruginous 

 or rufous, with a tint of Isabella, varied by undulated t*nsverse bands 

 of dork brown ; a collar of )>ale whitish Isabella, variegated with two 

 very narrow bands of deep brown, passes round the lower part of the 

 neck, and from this collar several huge irregular white marks are 

 disposed in an interrupted series from the axilla to the middle of the 

 back ; on the breast and belly several white feathers are scattered ; 

 the transverse bands are strongest on the rounded tail ; feet rufous ; 

 claws blackish ; bill obscure yellow and rather shining ; middle toe 

 not dentated. Length, 9 inches. 



Chabba-Wonno (roiargut 



The habits of this bird are not known. It is nocturnal, and conceals 

 itself in large forests. 



The other two sub-genera arranged by Mr. Swainson under the 

 genus Podargut are Jlgothelet, Horafield and Vigors, and A'yrfiAiw, 

 Vieillot. 



Mr. Allis has stated that the sclerotic ring of the great Podaryut 

 docs not present the slightest appearance of distinct plates, being 

 simply a bony ring. 



M. Lesson is of opinion that Stealornu [Gi'ACHABO BIHD] forms the 

 passage between the Caprimalyi and the Crows. 



Cdprimulyut, Linnaeus. Bill remarkably small and weak ; the sides 

 indexed and sometimes gaping; tarsus short; all the toes directed 

 forwards ; the inner and outer toes equal ; the middle claw pectinated. 

 (Swainson.) 



Mr. Swainson subdivides the genus into the following sub- 

 genera : 



Ca^rimul'jut. Gape strongly bristled ; toil lengthened, rounded ; 

 lateral toes equal. (Swainson.) 



C. Euroiia-ut, the Common Goat-Sucker. The male has its plumage 



IBBVV ntiii|i^ isunviivil VUC INtOU Ui \fltV UfWWf 



mandible extends along each title of the lower part of the he.-,d, :,i,d 

 there is a central patch of white upon the throat; quills with the 

 outer webs blotched with reddish-brown, and the three <>\ 



i < with a large white patch near the tips of the inner webs ; tail 

 irregularly marked and indistinctly barred with blackish-grey and 

 yellowish-brown; the two external feathers on each side wli 

 their terminatiun ; plumage of the under parts yellowish-brown, with 

 transverse blackish bars ; bill and irides dark brown ; tarsi i 

 Female with the plumage of the male generally, but she wonts the 

 white spots on the quills and tnil-frathen. 



This is most probably the Aryofl^Aat (or Goat-Sucker) of Aristotle 

 and the Greeks, and the Caprimulyui of Pliny and the Romans. 

 There is indeed, as we shall presently see, another Knropean 

 , but it is very rare. The Cajirimulyva Kuropaui is the 

 Calcabotto Piattaglioue, Porta Quaglie, Boccaccio, and Cova-Terra, 

 of the Italians ; ChoUcabras of the Spaniards ; Tettc-t'ln \ i -.-, 

 Engouleveut Ordinaire, and Crapaud Volant, of the French; Milch- 

 sauger, Geissmilcher, Nocht Rabe, Nocht Schwalbe, and Tag-Schlafer, 

 of the Germans ; NaUkrafTa, Natxkarra, and Quallknarren, of the 

 ' Fauna Suecica;' Nat-Ravn, Nat-Skade, and Aft, n IJakke, of Bnmnich; 

 Muckenstecker and Nachtrabb of Kramer ; Adcryn y drorll, 151 



