1875. ] MR. E. P. RAMSAY ON AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 113 
2. Evrostoropus atsocutaris, Vig.; Gould, B. of Aust. ii, 
pl. vii. 
I found this species of Goatsucker tolerably plentiful in certain 
localities in Queensland, near the headwaters of the Mary river, 
when I was procuring specimens of Ceratodus in 1873. During 
the daytime they are seldom if ever seen, except when flushed ; and 
in every instance it was on the sides of strong thickly timbered 
ridges that we met with them. For about half an hour just before 
dusk they frequent open glades and paddocks, and may then be pro- 
cured on the wing. Their flight is very swift and noiseless, 
Their single egg is placed on the ground, usually near a small tree 
or large stone, and is very difficult to discover, although the bird 
may have risen only a few feet in front of you. It is of a pale cream- 
colour, spotted sparingly over the surface with round and oval-shaped 
dots of deep blackish brown, with a few spots of blackish slate-colour 
appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell. 
The length of the egg varies from 1°4 to 1°5 inch, the breadth 
from 1°04 to 1°01, an average specimen being 1°41 by 1°03. 
3. Evrostoropus cutTratus, Vig. & Horsf. ; Gould, B. of Aust. 
vol. ii. pl. 8. 
The Spotted Goatsucker lays an egg similar to that of Hurosto- 
podus albogularis. It is, however, smaller and has fewer markings ; 
the ground-colour is of a greenish white, glossy, and sparingly 
marked with round and a few oval-shaped dots of black and blackish 
slate-colour, which latter appears as if beneath the surface of the 
shell. The length is 1°38 inch, the breadth 1 inch. 
Like the preceding species, this bird selects a thinly timbered 
stony ridge, where on the bare ground it deposits its egg without 
making any nest or disturbing any of the stones or gravel in the 
vicinity. The only specimens I possess were taken by James 
Ramsay, Esq., near the Merule Creek, in the Riverina district, in 
the southern portion of New South Wales. 
4. CaPRIMULGUS MACROURUS, Horsfield; Gould, B. of Aust. 
ii. pl. 9. 
In some former remarks on Australian birds’ eggs (Ibis, 1866, 
p- 326) I described the egg of this bird as that of Zurostopodus albo- 
gularis. The specimen was furnished by Mr. Rambird, of Port 
Denison, who had taken it from the adult of what he at the time 
believed to be the White-throated Goatsucker : in fact Mr. Rambird 
sent to me what he believed to be the skin of the identical bird ; but 
in this he must have been mistaken ; and, considering the plumages 
of these birds are so nearly alike, I do not wonder at the mistake. 
I have since, however, obtained eggs of undoubted authenticity of 
all three species of Goatsuckers (Cuprimulgus macrourus, Eurosto- 
podus albogularis, and E. guttatus); the first of these I will now 
proceed to describe. 
The eggs of the Long-tailed Goatsucker (C. macrourus) so closely 
resemble those of the European species that but little difference is 
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1875, No. VIII. 8 
