436 CAPRIMULGUS 



In general habits it resembles C. europceus, but frequents the 

 sand deserts and chiefly the small groves on the borders of the 

 true desert, and is a migrant, passing south for the winter, at 

 least as far as Fashoda. Its food consists, like that of our 

 Nightjar, of insects of various kinds. Its note is also similar 

 but softer and less prolonged, and when disturbed it utters 

 a little snapping sound. It breeds in May and deposits its 

 two eggs on the sand, making no nest. These are dull pale 

 greyish yellow with faint ashy grey shell-markings, and clay- 

 yellow surface-blotches, and measure about T33 by 0'82. 



There is considerable individual variation both in colour and 

 size in this species, some being lighter and more isabelline, and 

 others darker and greyer in tone of colour, but I cannot admit 

 any of these even to subspecific rank. Baron von Erlanger, 

 however, describes the pale isabelline variety as a subspecies 

 and figures (J. f. O. 1899, taf. xii.) the two extreme forms. 



622. SYKES'S NIGHTJAR. 

 CAPRIMULGUS MAHRATTENSIS. 



Ccvprimulgus mahrattensis, Sykes, P.Z.S. 1832, p. 83 ; Gould, B. of As.L 

 p. 19 ; Blanf. E. Persia, ii. p. 128 ; Barnes, J., Bombay Nat. Hist. 

 Soc. iv. pi. 1 (eggs) ; Hartert, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xvi. p. 561 ; Blanf. 

 F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iii. p. 184 ; C. arenarius, Blyth, J.A.S.B. xv, 

 p. 21 (1846). 



ad. (India). Kesembles C. cegyptius in coloration, but has a shorter 

 wing, the three first primaries rnfescent isabelline at tbe base, otherwise 

 dark brown with large white spots in the middle of the feather ; the two- 

 outer tail-feathers white on about one-third of their length ; under tail- 

 coverts unbarred buff ; bill dark brown ; legs pale fleshy brown ; iris dark 

 brown. Wing 6'9, tail 4'2, tarsus, which is only feathered at the base, 0'8 inch. 

 The female differs in having the spots on the primaries buff, and the white 

 tips to the two outer tail-feathers shorter and tinged with sandy buff. 



Hob. Afghanistan, Baluchistan ; the plains of India east to- 

 Upper Bengal and south to Belgaum. 



In general habits agreeing with C. cegyptius, like that species 

 it is usually to be met with in sandy localities. It breeds, in 

 Sind, in May and June, depositing two eggs, which are greyish 

 white marbled and blotched with very pale grey or greyish lilac 

 shell-markings, and pale sepia-brown overlying surface-spots 

 and blotches, and measure about 1*13 by 0*80. 



