CAPEIMULGIDJS;, GOATSUCKEES. — GEN. 115. 



181 



tfiwny ( 9 ) ; a liar across the throat white ( <? ) or tawny ( 9 ) ; below mottled 

 with dusky and whitish; 9-10 long; wing 5-6; tail 4-5, much rounded. 

 Eastern United States, abundant; a nocturnal bird, rarely seen, but well 

 known for its loud strange cry, whence its name is taken. Eggs 2, ellip- 

 tical, I'l by -J, white, si^ecklcd and blotched. Wils., v, 72, pi. 41, f. 1, 2, 



3; NuTT.,i, 614; Aud., i, 155, pi. 42; Bd., 148 vocieerus. 



o) L ^ NuUalVs W/iij)2)OoriL'iU. Somewhat similar; small; about 8 ; tail under 

 4 ; much paler in tone ; crown barred transversely ; throat i^atch very large ; 

 tawny prevailing over black on the wings ; terminal white tail spots short. 

 Note different, the first syllable being omitted. Plains to the Pacific, U. S. 

 Aur).,vii, 350, pi. 495; Cass., 111. 237 ; Bd.,149; Coop., 340. nuttallii. 



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115. Genus CHORDEILES Swainson. 

 JVight-haicJi. Bull-hat. Above, mottled with black, l)rown, gray and 

 tawny, the former in excess ; below from the breast transversely Ijarred with 

 blackish and white or pale fulvous ; throat with a large white (^ $ ) or taAvny 

 ( 9 ) cross-bar ; tail blackish, with distant pale 

 marl)led cross-bars and a large white spot (wanting 

 in the $ ) on one or both webs of nearly all the 

 feathers toward the end ; quills dusky, unmarked 

 except by one large white spot on five outer 

 primaries about midway between their l^ase and 

 tip ; in the ? this area restricted or not pure white. 

 Length about 9 ; wing about 8 ; tail 5. Temperate 

 North America, abundant. This species flies abroad 

 at all times, though it is perhaps most active 

 towards evening and in dull weather ; and is gener- 

 ally seen in companies, busily foraging for insects 

 with rapid, easy and protracted flight ; in the 

 breeding season it performs curious evolutions, 

 falling through the air with a loud booming cry. 

 Eggs 2, elliptical, IJ by J, finely variegated. Wils. 

 NuTT., i, 619; Aud., i, 159, pi. 43; Bd., 151. 



Var. HEKKYi is the lighter colored form prevailing in the chyer or nnwooded 

 portions of western United States ; the gray and fulvous in excess of tlie darker 

 hues, the white patches on the wing, tail and throat usually larger. Cass., 111. 

 233 ; Bd., 153, 922, pi. 17 ; Coop., 344. 



Texas Night-hawk. Similar to the first ; smaller ; wing 7 ; tail 4 ; fine 

 gray mottling much predominant above ; below rufous prevailing over the 

 dark bars ; many broad fulvous bars on the tail, besides the white spots ( (J ) 

 wanting in the 9 ; primaries all sprinkled toward the base with numerous 

 fulvous spots ; the large white ( <J ) or tawny ( 9 ) area nearer the tip than 

 the bend of the wing, and on only four primaries. Southwestern U. S. 

 and southward ; unquestionably different from the common bird of this 

 country, but in adopting the name texensis, 1 must say that I have not iuves- 



riG. 117. Xiglit-hawk. 



65, pi. 40; f. 1,2; 



VIRGINIANUS. 



