410 



BULLETIN UNITED STATES' GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. [YolY. 



1878 J p. 144). I -vrould refer to tliis article for full description, synonymy, 

 &c., of this interesting recent addition to our fauna. 



Two young not half-grown which I take to be of this species were 

 found on the ground in a thicket on the edge of the woods on April 19. 

 I judge them to be Nyctidromus by the long tarsus bare of feathers, by 

 the large ochraceous spots on scapulars and secondaries, and by the 

 central black dashes on the crown. Owing to the quills being not suffi- 

 ciently grown, the white wing-x:)atch fails to appear. The colors of the 

 first plumage are much as in the adult, but less distinct ; the back and 

 crown lighter gray, while the wings show mixed black and ochraceous. 



84. Anteostomus caeolinensis (Grm.) Gould. — Chuclc-wiWs-widoic. 



Dense undergrowth among the heavy timber at Lomita afforded ex- 

 cellent shelter during the day for birds of this family. Here even at 

 midday a subdued twilight prevailed, and these birds often flitted across 

 our vision, more like shadows than living things, so silent and rapid 

 was their flight; so that, although quite common, it was difficult to 

 obtain them. This, too, is their natural breeding resort ; but, as they 

 lay their eggs ui^on the ground, amid such a labyrinth of vegetation the 

 finding of their eggs must be j)urely accidental, and we were not fortunate 

 enough to find any. About eleven o'clock, on the night of April 16, in 

 the clear moonlight, I saw perched on the top of a tall dead tree what 

 I supposed to be an Owl of some kind, but, upon shooting it, discovered 

 it to be a male Chuck- will's-widow. I am unacquainted with the note of 

 this bird. The sizes given below are measurements carefully taken from 

 my dried specimens ; length and extent were taken in the field. 



As to markings of my several specimens, it is worthy of note that trip- 

 number 306, a female, has on one side of the tail white patches on the three 

 outer feathers, while on the other side there is but a single white patch 

 upon tlie outer feather. Also number 339, a male, has the white patches 

 on one side of the tail only, and upon the second and third feathers from 

 the outside. The other three specimens are as given in the books. 

 The variation of two out of five would warn us not to place implicit re- 

 liance upon the markings of the tail in determining sex. It will be well 

 for ornithologists to ascertain how constant the tail-markings are. My 

 specimens vary considerably in colors throughout, some being very 

 dark brown, and others very ochraceous. The black stripes of the crown 

 and scapulars vary also in size and number. In but one can the jugular 

 collar be called white ; the rest are buff. 



Lomita 

 .,..do-. 

 ....do-. 

 ....do.. 

 ...do.. 



April 12 

 April 17 

 May 4 

 May 7 

 May 13 



12. 25 

 12. 50 

 12. 50 

 12.00 

 12. 50 



25.50 

 25.00 

 25.00 

 24.50 

 26.50 



8.45 

 8.30 

 8.00 

 8.15 

 8.50 



5.90 

 5.70 

 5.g5 

 5.45 

 5.90 



Trs. .67 

 „ .63 

 „ .63 

 „ .75 

 „ .65 



