32 CAPRIMULGID.E CAPRIMULGUS 



Plumage of various shades of brown and white, with somewhat 

 varying markings even in the same species. Sexes usually distinct, 

 the males being characterised by white spots on the primaries 

 and by white tips to the outer tail-feathers. This genus is spread all 

 over the world, except in the polar regions. Twenty-one African 

 species are recognised by Shelley, seven of which are found within 

 our limits. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Tips of the outer tail-feathers white. 



a. Outer web of the outer tail-feathers not 



.white or pale brick. 



a 1 . Scapulars obviously different from the 

 back and rump by their dark centres and 

 'buff margins. 



a 2 . No trace of a rufous collar on the hind 

 neck, the three outer wing- quills only, 



with white spots C. europ&us, $ , p. 32. 



b 2 . A distinct rufous collar on the hind 

 neck ; the four outer wing-quills with 

 large white or pale brick spots. 



a 3 . Blackish above ; collar very narrow C.pectoralis, $ , , p. 37. 

 6 3 . Ashy-grey above ; collar very narrow C. rufigena, $ , p. 34. 

 c 3 . Brown above ; collar very broad, and 



a rich, deep rufous C. fervidus, ^, $ , p. 36. 



b l . Scapulars not obviously different in colour 



from the back and rump C. trimaculatus, p. 38. 



b. Outer web of the outer tail-feathers white 



or pale brick. 



ft 1 . With a distinct collar, only the outer pair 

 of tail-feathers with w r hite (pale brick 

 in ) C. fossii, p. 39. 



ft 1 . Without a trace of collar; two pairs of 



outer tail-feathers with white tips C. natalensis, $ , p. 41. 



B. No white tips to the outer tail-feathers. 



a. No collar ; no large distinct white spots on 



the wing- quills C. europeeus, $? , p. 32. 



b. No collar ; spots on the wing-quills sandy 



and smaller than in the male C. natalensis, $? , p. 41. 



c. Traces of a rufous collar ; spots on the 



wing-quills pale and brick-coloured C. rufigena, $ , p. 34. 



392. Caprimulgus europseus. European Nightjar. 



Caprimulgus europaeus, Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. i, p. 346 (1766) ; 

 Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 102 (1845) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's 

 B. S. Afr. pp. 83, 803 (1875-84) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 67 [Durban] ; 

 Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 197 [Kroonstad] ; Ayres, Ibis, 1876, p. 423 



