448 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— FIGABI^— GYPSELIFOBMES. 



rectriees. In certain genera, either wing or tail develops a pair of immensely lengtliened 

 feathers. Feet extremely small; tarsus usually short, and partly feathered ; hind toe very 

 sliurt, commonly elevated and turned sidevfays; front toes connected at base hy movable web- 

 bing, and frequently showing abnonnal ratio or plialanges, the 4th toe having but 4 joints 

 (p. 127, fig- 41) ; middle toe lengthened beyond the short lateral ones, its claw usually pecti- 

 nate (fig. 291) . The oil-gland is nude, and cceca are present. The arrangement of the leg- 

 muscles is anomalogonatous (p. 19.5); the ambiens and accessory feinoro-oaudal are both 

 absent. 



A definitely-circumscribed, easily-recognized group of about 14 genera and rather more 

 than 100 species, of temperate and tropical parts of both hemispheres. They are all more or less 

 nocturnal, and have a certain resemblance to owls, — particularly the genus Steatornis, which is 

 (juitc owlish. The flight is perfectly noiseless ; the plumage is very soft and lax, as in owls, 

 and the colors are usually blended in the most intricate pattern. The Caprimulgida; are 

 divisible, according to the structure of the feet, into two subfamilies : Podargina, chiefly Old 

 World, \vith the normal ratio of phalanges, and Caiyrimulgince (as below). Considering, how- 

 ever, other points, particularly the shape of the sternum, a more elaborate division is into (1) 

 Podargince, phalanges normal, tarsus naked and lengthened, sternum doubly-notched, with 

 three genera {Podargits, Batrachostonms, and JEgotheles of the Old World ; (2) Nyctibiina;, 

 phalanges normal, tarsus short, feathered, sternum doubly-notched, upper mandible toothed, 

 containing one genus (Nyctihius) of tropical America ; (3J Steatornithina: , phalanges normal, 

 sternum singly-notched, with one remarkable genus (Steatornis) of tropical America, which 

 might properly be made type of a separate family, so many are the peculiarities <_if this owlish 

 bird ; and finally (4) Caprimidgina;, comprising the rest of the family. The latter alone is 

 represented in Niirth America. Our " Whippoorwills " are typically caprimulgine, and give a 

 good idea of the essential characters of the family; our "Night-hawks" are more aberrant, 

 representing a particular section oi the subfamily ; but neither of these gives any hint of the 

 singular shapes which souie of the genera assume. 



30. Subfamily CAPRIMULCIN/E : True Goatsuckers; Night-Jars. 



Sternum singly-notched on each side behind ; its body not 

 square. Ratio of phalanges abnormal. Outer foe i-jointed ; 

 middle claw pectinate; hind toe very short, elevated, semi-lateral; 

 anterior toes movably webhed at lyase (fig. 41); lateral toes not 

 nearly reaching base of middle claw. Tarsus very slnjrt, com- 

 monly much feathered (longer and naked in Nyctidromus and 

 Phalanoptilus) . Besides the scmipalmation of the feet, there 

 is anotlier curious analogy to wading birds ; for the young are 

 downy at birtli, as in Pracoces, instead of naked, as is the rule 

 amcjng Altrices. The plumage is soft and lax, much as in the 

 Owls; the birds have the same noiseless flight, as well as, in 

 most cases, nocturnal or crepuscular habits ; and some of them 

 bear an odd resemblance to Owls. Besides this fluifiness and 

 laxity of the plumage, the skin is very thin and tender ; it is 

 diflieult to make good specimens of the whippoorwills, and the 

 curiously variegated blended shades, of exquisite beauty, like 



the powdcrv coloration of a moth's wings, arc at best not easy 

 Fir,. 2!«1 — Ni.;lit-1inwl[, aRlal)- ' •' r , ■ , . i 



riroatral Cai)rimul£!iiie. (FiomTen- to describe. An evidcirt design ot the capacious mouth is the 

 ney, after Wilson.) capture of insects; the active birds quarter the air with wide- 



open mouth, and their minute prey is readily taken in. But they also secure larger insects in 

 other ways; and to this end the rictus is frequently strongly bristled, as in the Tyrannidcc. In 



