450 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — PICABI^ — CYPSELIFOEMES. 



dromus probably comes. One or two species, long well known in tropical America, lately 

 found N. to Texas. 

 395. N. albicol'Us. (Lat. alhiis, white ; collum, neck.) White-theoated Night-coueser. 

 Paueaque. Adult ^ • Assuming brownish-gray as the ground color of the upper parts : 

 Crown heavily dashed with black streaks along the middle line, with narrow black shaftJlines 

 at the sides and on nape. Back more diffusely streaked with black in smaller pattern, tending 

 to break up in chains of shaft-spots, and with lighter gray and brown marbling. Scapulars 

 ' and tertiaries boldly and beautifully marked with firm, even, shai-p lines of white or tawny- 

 white — the arrow-headed edgings of angular black terminal fields. Wing-coverts curiously 

 mottled with black, white, and tawny — the white and tawny conspicuous as large irregularly 

 roundish spots. Five outer primaries with a large oblique white spot, on the 1st at about its 

 middle, on the others nearing their ends ; these primaries otherwise plain blackish, except a 

 little marbling at their ends — the whole effect thus as in Chordediles. Other primaries and all 

 the secondaries blackish, ftiHy scalloped and barred with tawny in increasing amount and regu- 

 larity from without inward. NFour middle tail-feathers clouded with the same variegated colors 

 as the other upper parts, but without definite white — the markings tending to wavy cross-bars. 

 Next two lateral feathers on each side with great white spaces on one or both webs at end, ^3 

 inches long, the rest of these feathers chiefly barred with black and tawny ; outer feather chiefly 

 black, but with marbling, and with white and tawny. Ear-coverts rich chestnut, well con- 

 trasted with surroundings. Throat with a broad white collar, some of the white feathers black- 

 tipped. Under parts ochraceous or pale tawny, varied with whitish, and pretty regularly 

 barred crosswise with blackish-brown, thus somewhat as in Chordediles. Length 13.00 ; 

 extent 25.00 : vidng and tail, each, 7.50 ; tail graduated 1.00 ; tarsus 1.00 ; middle toe and 

 claw 1.25. Another Texas specimen (perhaps ?, but with even more white on the tail, but 

 white on only 4 primaries) is much smaller: length about 10.50 ; wing 6.50; tail 6.00. The 

 species is said to be very variable in size and markings ; 9 to have the collar buff. Tropical 

 America, N. to Texas, where common in the valley of the Lower Eio Grande. Eggs 2, laid 

 on the ground ; 1.25 X 0.92, creamy-buff, spotted with pinkish, brown, and lilac. 

 1 28, ANTBO'STOMUS. (Gr. avrpov, cmtron, a cave ; arojui, stoma, mouth ; alluding to the cav- 

 ernous mouth. Fig. 292.) Ameeican 

 NiGHT-jAES. Nostrils oval, with a raised 

 rim not prolonged as a tube, opening up- 

 ward and outiyai'd. Eictal bristles im- 

 mense, with or without lateral filaments, 

 and other bristly or bristle-bearded feathers 

 about the bill. Tarsus not longer than 

 middle toe without claw, feathered in front 

 nearly to the toes. Wing rounded, tipped 

 by 2d and 3d quills, folding to beyond the 

 middle of the tail, which is rounded (not 

 enough so in fig. 293) and much shorter 

 than wing. Plumage very lax, with mi- 

 nutely marbled coloration, in some places 

 as if dusted or frosted over; primaries 

 ^weak, all mottled vrith tawny, without great white spaces ; under parts mottled, with little 

 tendency to regular crosswise barring; markings of crown longitudinal. Size medium and 

 tather large; sexes distinguishable; eggs 2, heavily colored. Highly nocturnal. Containing 

 those shadowy birds, consorts of bats and owls, — those scarce-embodied voices of the night, 

 \nefe, there, and everywhere unseen, but shrilling on the ear with sorrow-stricken iteration. 



Fto. 292. — Head and foot of WhlppoorwUl, nat. size. 

 (Adnat. del R. Hidgway.) 



