THE COMMON INDIAN NIGHTJAR. 17 



The Frogmouths appear to inhabit thick brushwood in heavy forest, 

 and to be entirely crepuscular or nocturnal in their movements. Mr. 

 Boimlillon, writing of the allied B. moniligar, says: "If I am not mis- 

 taken, the habits of this bird are very shy and retiring, for it never appears 

 to venture into the open, and only commences calling in the breeding- 

 season some considerable time after dark, and living entirely in dense 

 jungle it is a very difficult bird to secure/"' 



According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the present species makes a nearly 

 flat nest of lichens and moss overlaid with a soft downy vegetable substance 

 blended into a felt-like mass. It is placed on a horizontal branch of a tree 

 close to its junction with the trunk. 



Subfamily CAPRIMULGIN^E. 



Genus CAPRIMULGUS, Linn. 



414. CAPRIMULGUS ASIATICUS. 

 THE COMMON INDIAN NIGHTJAR. 



Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath. Ind. Orn.ii. p. 588; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 197; Hume, 

 Nests and Eggs, p. 97 ; id. S. F. iii. p. 46 ; SI. B. Burm. p. 83 ; Hume $ Dav. 

 S. F. vi. p. 59 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 343 ; Brooks, S. F. vii. p. 169 ; Hume, 

 S. F. viii. p. 85 ; Binyliam, S. F. ix. p. 150. 



Description. Male. Of pale but rich coloration ; a broad coronal streak 

 black; scapulars richly marked with black and buff; first primary with a 

 round spot on the inner web, not extending up to the shaft ; second pri- 

 mary with a larger white spot, also not extending to the shaft ; a small 

 buff patch on the outer web ; third primary with a large white spot reach- 

 ing to the shaft ; a buff patch on the outer web ; fourth primary with a 

 reduced white spot shading off into buff at its edges ; a buff patch on the 

 outer web ; the other primaries barred black and rufous ; outermost tail- 

 feathers with a terminal white patch about 1*5 inch long, the next pair 

 with a terminal white patch about 1 inch long ; the next two pairs chiefly 

 black ; the central pair like the upper plumage. 



The female is precisely similar to the male, but the white on wings and 

 tail is hardly so pure. 



Bill at base flesh-colour, with a reddish tinge on the upper mandible ; 

 tip dark brown ; feet pinkish brown ; claws horn-colour ; edges of eyelids 

 buft'; iridcs brown. 



VOL. II. C 



