490 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



KEY TO THE PAMILIBS OF CAPRIMULGI. 



a. Hallux relatively very short (about half as long as inner toe), of two phalanges only, 

 directed inward; outer toe (of four phalanges) shorter than inner, both much 

 shorter than middle toe; toes not expanded basally; middle claw with inner edge 

 produced, conspicuously pectinated; tarsus at least twice as long as hallux with 

 claw; maxillary tomium without any angular projection, the rictal portion 

 narrow, not strongly if at all convex; metastemum shallowly 2-notched; no 

 powder-down patches Caprimulgldse (p. 490). 



aa. Hallux relatively long (as long as inner toe), of three phalanges, directed back- 

 ward; outer toe (of five phalanges) longer than inner, not much shorter than 

 middle toe; toes unusually broad basally, forming a very broad flattened sole, the 

 width of which is about equal to length of hallux without claw; middle claw 

 not pectinated; tarsus shorter than hallux without claw; maxillary tomium with a 

 conspicuous angular projection or ' ' tooth " about midway between tip of maxilla 

 and rictus, the rictal portion very broad and strongly convex; metastemum 

 deeply 4-notched; powder-down patches present Nyctibiidse (p. 583). 



Family CAPRIMULGID^. 



THE O0ATST7CEEBS. 



=Caprimulginae Bonaparte, Prodr. Syst. Orn., 1840, 4; Consp. Av., i, 1850, 



58. — Cabanis, Wiegmann's Archiv fflr Naturg., i, 1847, 346. — Stejnegee, 



Stand. Nat. Hist., iv, 1885, 387, 388, in text.— Coues, Key N. Am. Birds, 2d 



ed., 1884, 448.— SAtviN and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1894, 382.— 



Shabpb, Hand-list, ii, 1900, 79. 

 '^Caprimulginss Sundbvall, Met. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent., ii, 1873, 86 (English 



translation, 1889, 163) (includes Glareolidss!) 

 <^Caprimulginae Cabanis and Heine, Mus. Hein., iii, 1860, 88 (excludes Chor- 



deiles, Lurocalis, and Podager). — Sclatee, Cat. Am. Birds, 1862, 280 (excludes 



Chordeiles, etc.). 

 =Caprinmlgidx Shabpe, Rev. Classif. Birds, 1891, 81. — Gadow, in Bronn's 



Thier-Eeich, Vog., ii, 1891, 248, 800. 

 <^ChordediKnae Cabanis and Heine, Mus. Hein., iii, 1860, 86 (Chordeiles+Luro- 



calis+ Podager). 

 <CChordeilinx Sclatbk, Cat. Am. Birds, 1862, 278 (Chordeiles+Lwocalis+Pod- 



ager). 



Caprimulgi with the toes abnormal (the outer toe much shorter than 

 the middle and consisting of only four phalanges, the hallux very 

 short and consisting of only two phalanges), tarsus at least twice as 

 long as hallux, metastemum shallowly 2-notched, toes not expanded 

 basally, middle claw pectinated, powder-down patches absent and 

 maxillary tomium without any angular projection or "tooth," the 

 rictal portion narrow and not strongly if at aU convex. 



The Caprimulgidse are small to medium-sized (rarely rather large) 

 nocturnal or crepuscular Coraciiform birds with small, weak bill, 

 deeply cleft (highly fissirostral) mouth, weak feet, long wings, and 

 protective coloration, their dull colors, in elaborately vermiculated, 

 mottled, freckled or barred pattern, rendering them, when at rest. 



