( 401 ) 



CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW. 



Caprimulgus carolinensis^ Briss. 



PLATE LII. Vol. I. p. 273. 



Since the publication of my first volume, I have procured several 

 individuals of this species in the central parts of Florida, in the course 

 of a winter which I spent in that peninsula. They uttered their usual 

 notes, in the same emphatic manner as during the breeding season, 

 when they are dispersed over other sections of our southernmost dis- 

 tricts. I have also procured this species in Texas, where it breeds. 

 The eggs measure one inch two and a half eighths in length, an inch 

 and half an eighth in breadth, and are nearly equally rounded at both 

 ends. They vary much in coloiu* ; some procured by my friend Dr 

 Bachman have a yellowish-white ground-colour, with large blotches of 

 bluish-purple and light reddish-brown, interspersed with dots of the 

 latter colour. This species has not been observed to the west of the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



An adult male, from Dr Bachman, preserved in spirits, measures 

 to the end of the tail 13^ inches, to end of wings 121, to end of claws 

 9 ; wing from flexure 8^ ; tail 61%. 



The relative proportion of the head and bill of this and other Goat- 

 suckers have been misrepresented, owing to the manner in which the 

 greater part of the latter is concealed by the feathers. The head it- 

 self is of extreme breadth, but also extremely depressed, its breadth in 

 this species being li inch, whilst its greatest height is only 11 twelfths. 

 In this respect it diff"ers greatly from that of the Owls, in which it is 

 high and at the same time flattened before and behind. The aperture 

 of the ear is very large, of an elliptical form, 4^ twelfths long, 3 twelfths 

 wide, without operculum, but margined with feathers. The aperture 

 of the eye is also very large, measuring ^ inch. The bill, although 

 seemingly very short, is in reality long, being 1 twelfth longer than the 

 head, and measuring 1 inch 4 twelfths in length. The ridge of the up- 

 per mandible, covered with skin, is apparent to 10 twelfths beyond the 

 nostrils, but being very narrow, and the very elongated nasal space 

 vol.. V. ' c c 



