Illustrations of Indian Ornitholog?/. 



mens vary so much. This however matters less when a tolerably faithful representation is 

 given and accurate measurements are added. This species differs from the other Indian 

 ones generally in the prevalent dark hue of the plumage — from Asiaticns and Monticohs 

 it may be always distinguished at once by it feathered tarsi, and from 7nacrourtis by the 

 dark wings and tail of the latter, and rufous breast &c. &c. I shall give no further de- 

 scription but add its measurements. 



Total length from 10 to nearly 12 inches Wing 7 to 8| Tail 5 to 5| Tarsus about i^th. 

 The other Indian species of Caprimulgi are as follows: — 1st C Asiaticus Latham 

 common Indian Nightjar^spread over all the peninsula, taking shelter under hedges, 

 among bushes, in gardens, and feeding close to houses and even entering verandahs. I am 

 still (as expressed in my Catalogue) inclined to believe that the species figured in Gray 

 and Hardwicke as Asiaticus differs from the common species. I obtained what answered 

 to this very closely in the North of the Deccan. It differs from the common one in its lar- 

 ger size, more prevalent and lighter grey tint of the plumage, and in some other trifling 

 points, but I have now no specimens for comparrison. I at one time thought that it might 

 be Sykes' Mahrattensis which otherwise I know not.* 



2nd. C Monticolus Franklin. When I compiled my Catalogue I had only met this 

 Nightjar in Candeish, but I have since procured it in the neighbourhood of Madras, at Nel- 

 lore, and other places. Mr. Blyth has also obtained it at Calcutta, so it appears tolerately gene- 

 nerally distributed. I consider it to be the species described by Latham under C. Indicus 

 from Sir J. Anstruther's drawings. It frequents chiefly rocky hills abounding with brush- 

 wood. 



3rd. C. macrourns Horsf. I obtained specimens of this Nightjar from the range of 

 Eastern Ghauts, and have seen a specimen from the Malabar coast in Lord Arthur Hay's col- 

 lection. It is very closely allied to the species which Mr. Blyth had considered as C. macrou^ 

 rus of Hor&field, but is much smaller. Mr. Strickland however has compared the specimens in 

 the India House museum from Java with Bengal specimens, and finds Horsfield's species 

 much smaller, though very closely allied in plumage. The Calcutta bird will therefore stand 

 as C. gavgeticns Blyth, and Mr. B. naturally concludes that my species is the ime inacrourui. 

 However in this genus where the plumage is so very similar it may still be a distinct species 

 from the Javanese one, and if so I would propose the name oi airipennis, and I add its di 



• Mr. Blytli has just sent me for inspection a Nightjar sent by Hodgson as C. innotatus, which he considers as Mahrattemit 

 3t appears to mc tt) l»u a very pale vanity of C. Indicus with much worn and a braded plumage. 



