BIRDS CAPEIMULGIDEA — ANTEOSTOMUS NtJTTALLl. 



149 



List of specimens. 



ANTROSTOMUS NTJTTALLI, a s-s i n . 



Nuttall's Whippooiwill. 



Caprvmulgus nuttalli, Ann. Birds America, VII, 1843 ; pi. 495 appendix. 



Antroitonma nuttalli, Cassin, J. A. N. So. Phila. 2d series, II, 1852, 123.— Ib. 111. I, 1855, 237.— Newberbt, Zool. 

 Cal. and Oregon Route, 77 ; Rep. P. R. R. Surv. VI, iv. 



Sp. CH.-T-Bristles without lateral filaments ; wing about 5| inches ; top of the head hoary gray, with narrow transverse, not 

 longitudinal bands. Tail nearly black on the terminal half, the extreme tip only (in the three outer feathers of each side) 

 being white for nearly an inch. Lenj^th 8.00 ; wing 5.50. 



Hob. — High central plains to the Pacific coast. 



I regret that the materials before me are not such as to admit of a satisfactory description, 

 especially as in the wide range of localities there are indications of differences which may even 

 be- of specific value. I shall, therefore, be obliged to copy from Audubon the description of the 

 species as obtained in its original locality — the upper Missouri.^ 



This species is said to have a note somewhat similar to that of the whippoorwill, except that 

 the first syllable is omitted, leaving the sound something like that of " poor- will." 



The much smaller size of the A. nuttalli will at once distinguish it from the A. vociferus. 

 The colors, too, are very different. The general hue is much lighter. The top of the head 

 lacks the median stripe. The white patch of the throat is much larger.. The white of the tail 

 is confined to a space of less than one inch at the end, &c. 



iThe following is the original description of the species by Audubon : 



Caprimulgus nuttalli, AcD. Birds America, VI, pi. 495, 2 ed. 



Male. Bill black ; iris dark hazel ; feet reddish purple ; scales and claws darker ; general color of upper parts dark brownish 



gray, lighter on the head and medial tail feathers, which extend j inch beyond the others, all which are minutely streaked and 

 sprinkled with brownish black and ash gray. Quills and coverts d ull cinnamon color, spotted in bars with brownish black ; tips 

 of former mottled with light and dark brown ; three lateral tail feathers barred with dark brown and cinnamon, and tipped 

 with white. Throat brown, annulated with black ; a band of white across fore neck ; beneath the latter black, mixed with 

 bars of light yellowish gray and black lines. Under tail coverts dull yellow. Length, 7.25 ; wing, 5.75 ; bill, edge, .19; 

 second and third quills nearly equal. Tail to end of upper feathers, 3.50 ; tarsus, .63 ; middle toe, .63 ; claw, .25 ; strongly 

 pectinated. 



