398 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDa 



Family CAPRIMULGID^. — The Goatsuckers. 



Cii.vR. Bill very short ; tlio gape oiionnoiisly long und wide, opening to beneath or 

 beliind tlic eyes. Ciilnien Viuiiilile. Toes connected by a movable sivin; seuonduries 

 lengthened; plumage soft, sometimes very lull and loose, as in the Owls. 



Tlie preceding diagiiosis in connection with that of the order will suffice 

 to separate the Caprimnlijidcc from tiieir allies. Their closest relatives are 

 tiie Cjipsclidrv, next to whicii })erhaps may be reckoned the Trochilida: 



In definin--: the subdivisions of tins family, we make use of un excellent 

 nionograpii of the American species by Dr. Sclater, in I'roccedings of the 

 Zoological Society, London, ISGCi, 123. He establishes three subfamilies as 

 follows : — 



I. Podarginae. Claw of middle too not pectinated; outei toe with live 

 phalanges. Sternum with two pairs of posterior lissnres. 



Outer nnir of posterior sternal fissures much deeper than inner 

 pair ; tarsus long and naked. Eggs colorless. Podargus, Bairacho- 

 stomiis, jEgulheles, Old World. 



Outer pair of posterior fissures much deeper than inner pair • 

 tarsus extremely short and feathered. Ni/cfihiii.i, New World. 



II. Steatornithin*. Claw of middle toe not pectinated ; outer toe with 

 five phalanges. Sternum with one pair of siiallow posterior fissures. Eo-o-s 

 colorless. Steatonii.i, New Woi-ld. 



III. Caprimulginae. Claw of middle toe pectinated ; outer toe with four 

 phalanges only. Sternum with one pair of shallow i)osterior fissures. Eggs 

 colored (colorless in Antrostomus nuitalli, Baiid). 



a.^ GUirirostres. Rictus smooth. Podager, Liirocalis, C/ionleiles, 

 New World. Lynconiis, Eurgatopodus, Old World. 

 h. Setiroslres. Rictus armed with strong bristles. Caprimulgus, 

 Scotoniis, Maa-odiptergx, Old World; Antrostomm, Stenopsis, Hydrop- 

 sidi.1, Heleothreptus, Nyctidromus, Siphonorhis, New World. 



Dr. Sclater is of the opinion that Podarfius may ultimately have to be 

 placed in a different family from the GaprimiiUjidm, with or without the 

 other genera placed under Podanjince ; of these Njictibius, the sole New 

 World genus has species in Middle (including Jamaica) and South America. 

 Skatornis curipnisis, the single representative of the second subfamily, is 

 found in Trinidad, Venezuela, and Colombia. It lives in caverns and deep 

 chasms of the rocks, becoming excessively fat (whence the scientific name), 

 and is said to feed on fruits. The bill is large and powerful, more like 

 that of a Hawk than a Goatsucker. 



Subfamily CAPRIMULGINiB. 



CiiAH. Outer toes with four digits only; claw of middle toe pectinated. Sternum 

 with one pair only of sternal fissures or notche.>*. Toes .scutellate above. Hind toe 

 directed a little more than half forward, nostrils separated; rather nearer the commissure 

 than the culmen. 



