THE GREAT IBIGAU. 



97 



dark bands which surround its head and the upper part of its neck. One of these bands is 

 short, and is placed just above the beak, whUe the other two sweep in bold curves, being 

 very wide upon the top of the head, and narrowing rapidly to the corner of the eye, where 

 they cease. It is extremely shy, but withal a dull bird, and when alarmed flies leisurely to 

 the nearest tree, and, perching upon a branch, turns round to reconnoitre the cause of its 

 alarm. "WTien it sits in this manner it has very much the aspect of a common hawk. 



On account of a difference in the arrangement of the quill feathers of the wing, the birds 

 which form the genus Batrachostomus have been sei)arated from the Podargi. The generic 

 name is of Greek origin, and is very appropriate, as it signifies "frog-mouthed," and is anal- 



GKEAT IBIGKV.—Nyctibim grandis. 



ogous to the French name of Crapaud-volant, or Flying Toad, which is given to aU the Groat- 

 suckers. The bii^ds of this genus are not equal in dimensions to the Podargi, and they are all 

 inhabitants of the Indian Archipelago, instead of being found in Australasia. 



The Geeat-eared Goat-sucker is chiefly remarkable for the extreme length of certain 

 feathers which start horizontally from the upper part of the head, and are evidently analogous 

 to similar structures in the eared or horued owls. The gape of the bill is wonderfully wide in 

 this bird, and \vith its soft plumage, great round eyes, and large head, with its tufts of feathers 

 at each side, it has a peculiarly owl -like aspect. The color of its plumage is black, gray, bufP, 

 and brown, all curiously mottled and intermixed with each other in a manner almost similar 

 to the Goat-sucker, and which cannot be described without a needless expenditure of time and 

 space. It is a nocturnal bird, and seems to be very shy in disposition. 



One of the largest examples of the Goat-suckers is the Grand Goat-sucker {NyctiMus 

 grandis), sometimes called the Great Ibigau. 



ThLn fine bird is nearly thirteen inches in length, and in its habit resembles closely the 

 common Goat-sucker of Europe. It is a nocturnal bird, as may be gathered from its generic 



Vol. n.— 13. 



