BIRDS OF KANSAS. 341 



Iris dark brown; bill dark slate blue; legs and feet light or 

 ashy blue; claws horn blue. 



The habits and actions of this western and somewhat larger 

 species appear to be identical with those of C. auratus. In 

 treeless, unsettled localities, they are often found nesting in the 

 sides of steep banks, excavating their burrows like the King- 

 fisher. 



A set of four eggs, collected May 6th, 1879, near Fort Gar- 

 land, Colorado, from a nest in a pine tree, about twelve feet 

 from the ground, are, in dimensions: 1.12x.89, 1.13x. 88, 1. 13x 

 .88, 1.14x. 89; not distinguishable from the eggs of C. auratus, 

 except by their larger size. 



ORDER MACROCHIRES. 



GOATSUCKERS, SWIFTS, ETC. 



Bill without soft swollen cere. Wings very long, with ten quills, tail of ten 

 feathers, and gape very wide and deeply cleft; or else bill long and slender, 

 tongue extensile, and secondaries only six in number. (Ridgway.) 



SUBORDER CAPRIMULGI. GOATSUCKERS, ETC. 



"Secondaries more than six; bill short, very broad at base, the gape deeply 

 cleft; plumage not metallic." 



Middle toe much longer than lateral toes, its claws with inner edge pectina- 

 ted; gape more or less distinctly bristled; plumage much spotted, the feathers 

 soft, with downy or moth-like surface. (Ridgway.) 



FAMILY CAPRIMULGIDJE. GOATSUCKERS, ETC. 



"Bill very short, the gape enormously long and wide, opening to beneath or 

 behind the eyes. Culmeu variable. Toes connected by a movable skin; sec- 

 ondaries lengthened; plumage soft, sometimes very full and loose, as in the 

 Owls." . 



GEXUS ANTEOSTOMUS GOULD. 



"Bill very small, with tubular nostrils, and the gape with long, stiff, some- 

 times pectinated bristles projecting beyond the end of the bill; tarsi moderate, 

 partly feathered above; tail broad, rounded; wings broad and rounded; first quill 

 shorter than third: plumage soft and lax." 



