no 



CASSELL'S BOOK OF 151 RDS. 



THE LYRE-TAILED NIGHT JAR {ffydrapsalis forcipata). 



her mate. All the sparely - covered, 

 sandy plains of Central Africa afford 

 a home to the members of this group. 

 According to our own observations 

 they are rarely found beyond sixteen 

 degrees north latitude ; other autho- 

 rities affirm that they occasionally 

 wander as far as Europe, and have 

 been met with in Provence, but we 

 are inclined to question the accuracy 

 of this statement. 



The LYRE -TAILED NIGHT 

 JARS (Hydropsalis), a group of very 

 remarkable birds inhabiting South 

 America, are recognisable by their 

 long powerful wings, in which the first 

 quill is much bent ; their slender, but 

 comparatively strong beak ; their deli- 

 cate feet, partially covered with fea- 

 thers, and protected with horny plates 

 upon its lower half; and their remark- 

 ably forked tail, which in the male 

 bird is occasionally of great length. 



THE LYRE-TAILED NIGHT JAR. 

 The Lyre - tailed Night Jar 

 (Hydropsalis forcipata), as the species 

 with which we are most familiar has 

 been called, is spotted with brown 

 and yellow upon its body., the centre 

 of the throat being white. The ex- 

 terior tail-feathers of this beautiful 

 bird are from twenty -six to twenty - 

 eight inches long, while the body does 

 not exceed seven, and the wing nine 

 inches. According to Azara, the 

 Lyre -tailed Night Jar is somewhat 

 rarely met with, as it usually fre- 

 quents the inmost recesses of the 

 vast forests of South America. Its 

 scientific name, Hydropsalis, has been 

 derived from the fact that like other 

 Night Swallows it flies close to the 

 water when passing over the lakes or 

 rivers in search of food. 



