Mr. J. H. Gurney on the Egyptian Nightjar. 173 



on their basal portion, but rufous for the remainder of their 

 length. 



The present specimen measures as under : 



inches. 



Wing 6-80 



Tarsus 0-90 



Middle toe s. u 0-85 



Ear-tuft . . 0-60 



XVII. Remarks on the Occurrence of the Egyptian Night- 

 jar in Nottinghamshire. By J. H. GURNEY, Jun. 



ON the 23rd of June, 1883 (as recorded in 'The Zoologist/ 

 p. 374), an Egyptian or Isabelline Nightjar (Caprimulgus 

 (egyptius) was shot near Mansfield, in Nottinghamshire, and 

 is now in the fine British collection of Mr. Joseph Whitaker, 

 who had it while still in the flesh. Mr. H. E. Dresser figures 

 two forms, the pale and the dark ; the difference is but slight, 

 but it is apparently to the dark form that Mr. Whitaker's 

 bird belongs. Mr. Dresser says the range of the Egyptian 

 Nightjar is not very extensive, Egypt and Nubia appearing 

 to be its true home (' Birds of Europe/ iv. p. 629) . I believe 

 I saw a good many in Egypt, but, strange to say, never shot 

 one. From seeing them in April, evidently coming north 

 with the migratory stream, I supposed them to be summer 

 visitants; but as Mr. E. C. Taylor informs me of his having 

 shot some in December 1853, and as I have lately seen an 

 example obtained at Komombo on February 12th, 1882, by 

 Mr. F. Worthington, it is quite evident that the species, 

 though a true migrant, is found in Egypt at all seasons. 



How far south it goes is not known, but westwards 

 Mr. Dresser mentions (/. c.) that he has identified specimens 

 from Baluchistan and Turkestan. Strange to say, it has 

 not been met w r ith in Palestine, where, perhaps, its place is 

 taken by C. asiaticus (C. tamaricis, Tristr.). The European 

 occurrences, previous to the Nottinghamshire specimen now 

 recorded, are Herr Gatke's Heligoland example, obtained 



SER. v. VOL. u. o 



