CAPKIMULQID^. 125 



1871 and 24th of March 1894, Mr. Irby, 60th Rifles, having 

 shot one at Tangier on the 18th. On the 4th of April, 1871, 

 near San Roque, I noticed a flock of about two hundred passing 

 in a northerly direction, with a gyrating flight, making a great 

 noise, though they were very high up. A few Common Swifts 

 (their cry attracted my attention to them) were with the flock. 

 On the 5th of November, 1871, at Casas Viejas, I saw six hawking 

 about over the marshes for about an hour, when they disappeared 

 in a westerly direction. An oificer who was at Fez told me that 

 he saw a great many Alpine Swifts there in large flights about 

 the 23rd of February. 



Although far out of the range of this book, it is interesting to 

 record that Major Verner, when at Crete, noticed numbers of this 

 Swift passing north on the 24th of March, 1886. 



The sexes are alike in plumage, except that the female is marked or 

 striated with a faint black line on the centre of the feathers of the white 

 breast. The brain of this, as in all Swifts that I have examined, is small 

 for the size of the bird. 



Above greyish brown ; chin and belly white, with band of greyish brown 

 across upper breast ; toes as in last. Length 8| inches. 



CAPRIMULGIDJE. 



Mouth very wide, extending behind the eyes ; tail of ten 

 feathers ; claw of middle toe serrated on the inner edge. 



152. Caprimulgus europeeus, Linnaeus. Nightjar or "Goat- 

 sucker." 



" Occurs near Tangier, but is less numerous than the Rufous- 

 naped Nightjar, some, however, remaining to nest. The others 

 pass on across the Straits during May and June, returning from 

 September to November to pass the winter further south." 

 Favier. 



The Nightjar is found in Andalucia, as near Tangier, the earliest 

 date of arrival noticed being the 5th of May. 



