A SYNOPSIS OF THE RACES OF THE LONG-TAILED GOAT- 

 SUCKER, CAPRIMULGUS MACRURUS HORSFIELD. 



By Harey C. Oberholser, 



Of the Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture. 



This brief synopsis was originally intended as an account of the 

 specimens of Caprimulgus macrurus in the United States National 

 Museum, collected chiefly by Dr. W. L. Abbott. Considerations of 

 convenience and completeness have, however, induced the inclusion 

 of all the forms of the species, even though there are three of these 

 of which it has been impossible to obtain specimens for examination, 

 namely, Caprimulgus macrurus nipalensis, Caprimulgus macrurus 

 atripennis, and Caprimulgus macrurus yorki. 



The material upon which this paper is based, and for the use of 

 which the writer is much indebted, is contained in the United States 

 National Museum; the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia; the Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge; and 

 the private collection of Mr. J. H. Fleming, of Toronto, Ontario. 



The names of colors here used are based on Mr. Ridgway's new 

 Color Standards and Nomenclature. 1 All measurements are given 

 in millimeters. Practically all the specimens examined are listed in 

 the tables of detailed measurements; and those that are included 

 in the diagnostic averages are indicated in the tables. The measure- 

 ments here given have been taken as explained in the writer's recent 

 paper on Butorides virescens. 2 



Several of the forms of Caprimulgus macrurus are well-known 

 birds, and of frequent mention in literature, particularly in local 

 lists. The two best accounts of the species from a technical stand- 

 point are both by Dr. Ernst Hartert. One is in the Catalogue of 

 Birds in the British Museum 3 ; the other in Das Tierreich. 4 



Including Caprimulgus atripennis, which some authors regard as 

 a distinct species, but which is probably only a subspecies, the forms 



1 Itidgway, Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, 1912 (Jan. 16, 1913). 



2 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 42, 1912, p. 533. 

 8 Vol. 16, 1892, pp. 537-543. 



* Lief. 1, 1897, pp. 53-55. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 48— No. 2088. 



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