CAPEIMULGID^ CAPEIMULGUS 37 



395. Caprimulgas pectoralis. South African Nightjar. 



L'Engoulevent ^ collier, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. i, pi, 49, p. 186 (1799). 



Caprimulgus peotoraHs, Cuvier, Begne Anim. i, p. 376 (1817) ; Sharpe, 

 ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 84 (1875) ; Hartert, Cat. B. M. xvi, p, 

 534 (1892) ; Sharpe, Ihis, 1897, p. 496 (Ulundi) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, 

 p. 106 (1896) ; Hartert, Tierreich, Podarg. p. 59 (1897) ; Woodward 

 Bros. Natal B. p. 85 (1899). 



Caprimulgus atrovarius, Sundev. Ofvers. K. Vet. Ahad. Forh. 1851, 

 p. 128; Grill, K. Vet. Ahad. Ha/ndl. ii, no. 10, p. 41 (1858) [Knysna]; 

 Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 48 (1867). 



Description. Male. — As large as G. europceus, but very much 

 darker in colour than either that species or C. rufigena; upper 

 surface black vermiculated with grey ; a narrow pale rufous collar 

 round the neck, not nearly so marked as in G. fervidus ; white spots 

 are present on the four outer primaries, the outer one with the spot 

 only on the inner web, the inner three with spots on both webs ; 

 the tail very dark with well-developed white tips more than IJin. in 

 length to the two outer rectrices on either side ; the white spot on 

 the throat is large and well marked, and not divided as a rule. 



Iris dark brown. 



Length about 10-25; wing 6-1 ; tail 4-8; culmen 0'4; tarsus 0-8, 

 feathered only on the upper third. 



The female resembles the male, but the white wing-spots and 

 the tail-tips are a good deal smaller, the latter measuring less than 

 1-5. 



Distribution. — This bird was first obtained by Levaillant in 

 Houtniqua [i.e., the Knysna district), and seems to be confined 

 to the southern and wooded districts of the Colony, and to Natal 

 and Zululand. 



Eeeorded localities are Cape Colony — Cape div. (Victorin and 

 Layard), Caledon (Layard), George (Atmore), Knysna (Levaill. 

 and Victorin), Port Elizabeth (Eickard), Stockenstroom (Atmore) 

 and King Williams Town (Brit. Mus.) ; Natal — Maritzburg (Fitzsim- 

 mons and Woodward), Ulundi in Zululand (Woodward). 



Habits. — This Nightjar does not differ appreciably from others 

 in its habits ; it is not uncommon in the suburbs of Cape Town, 

 where it frequents gardens and orchards, flying at twilight, and 

 making its presence known by its " churring " note. It lays two 

 eggs in a slight depression under the shelter generally of a bush 

 or rock ; these are greyish- cream, freckled and blotched with purple. 



