CAPRIMVLGIB^—CAPBIMULGINJE: TBUE GOATSUCKEBS. 449 



all our genera excepting Chordediles, the riotal bristles are an inch or more in length, in a firm 

 regular series along the gape — they are relatively longer and stiffer than the whiskers of a cat. 

 Our several genera are readily discriminated by good characters of the nostrils, enormous rictal 

 bristles, and comparatively short wings of the Night-jars proper, in comparison with the slight 

 bristles, forked tail and long pointed wings of Chordediles; they respectively represent two 

 sections of the subfamily — Setvrostres, bristled-bUled (fig. 289), and Glabrvrostres, smooth- 

 billed (fig. 290). In both tlie feet are so extremely short that the birds cannot perch in the 

 usual way, but sit lengthwise on a large branch, or crouch on the ground. They lay two- 

 lengthened, white or thickly spotted eggs, on or near the ground, in stumps, etc. The sexes 

 are distinguishable, but nearly alike. The voice is peculiar, and has given several of the 

 species their fanciful onomatopoetio names. Migratory. 



Obs. Since the orig. ed. of the Key was published, a fine genus and species, Nyctidromus 

 albicolUs, has been added to our Fauna. " Nuttall's WhippoorwUl " has been made the type of 

 a new genus, Phalcenoptilus, on the ground of its naked feet, short square tail, and other good 

 characters. The common whippoorwill has been refeiTed back to the old genus Caprimulgus. 

 While it certainly diifers from the ehuck-will's-widow, type of Antrostomus, in not having the 

 rictal bristles garnished with lateral filaments, and is not very obviously different irom Capri- 

 mulgus of the Old World, it may be best to keep it with Antrostomus, where all the New 

 World species are usually referred, until the limits of the respective genera are better under- 

 stood. 



Analysis of Genera. ' 



A. Setirostres. Long rictal bristles. Plumage very lax. 



Tarsus extensively featlie;red. Nostrils not extensively tubular. 



Tail rounded, much shorter than wing. Primaries all mottled, without white spaces. Eggs 



colored. Large and medium-sized . . Antrostomus 128 



Tarsus naked, except on joint above. Nostrils extensively tubular. 



Tail square, much shorter than wing. Primaries all mottled, without white spaces. Eggs color- 

 less. Small (Western.) PlmlixnoptUm 129 



Tail rounded, about as long as wing. Outer primaries mostly whole-colored, with great white 



spaces. Eggs colored. Very large (Southwestern. ) . Nyctidromus 127 



JB. Glabrirostres. No long rictal bristles. Plumage more compact. 

 Tarsus moderately feathered. Nostrils not extensively tubular. 



Tail forked, much shorter than the pointed wing. Outer primaries mostly whole-colored, with 

 great white spaces. Eggs colored. Medium-sized . Chordediles 130 



127. NYCTI'DROMUS. 



uvKTos, nux, nuctos, 



(Gr. ni^, gen. 

 night ; Spofios, 

 d/romos, act of coursing. Fig. 291.) 

 Night Coursers. Nostrils prolonged 

 as cylindric tubes opening forward and 

 outward. Kictal bristles immense, 

 simple ; other bristle-tipped or bristle- 

 bearded feathers about the bill. Tar- 

 sus lengthened, but not exceeding the 

 middle toe without claw, naked except 

 just on the joint. Wing scarcely 

 rounded; tipped by 2d, 3d, and 4th 

 quills, 1st longer than 5th, folding to 

 about the middle of the tail, which is 

 rounded> and approximately of equal 

 length with the wing. Plumage not 

 so lax as in a whippoorwill; in this, as 

 in the stifflsh primaries with little marbling but great white spaces,, and the under parts barred 

 crosswise, is seen an approach to Chordediles, between which genus and Phalcenoptilus Nycti- 



29 



Fig. 291. —Head, foot, and pectinated claw of Nyotidromus, 

 nat. size. (Adnat.'del. E. Bidgway.) 



