CHORDEILES. 



301 



primary coverts unspotted dusky; secondaries not distinctly, if at all, 

 spotted with buffy or ochraceous; general color above very variable, but 

 with dusky markings rarely distinctly longitudinal, or streak-like; first 

 quill usually longest. 

 b l . Darker, with dusky markings predominating above. 



c\ Larger: Wing 7.30-8.25 (7.79), tail 4.30-4.75 (4.52). Eggs deposited in 

 open situations (fields, etc.), 1.19 X -85, pale olive-buff, buffy white, 

 grayish white, etc., thickly speckled and dashed, in varying char- 

 acter and quantity, with deep brown, olive, or even blackish, usually 

 mixed with clouding or marbling of pale purplish gray. Hab. 

 Eastern North America, north to Hudson's Bay, west to edge of 

 Great Plains (to Pacific coast along northern border of United 

 States) ; south, in winter, to Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica (breeds ?), 

 Middle America, and portions of eastern South America. 



420. C. virginianus (Gmel.). Nighthawk. 

 &. Smaller : "Wing 6.60-7.25, tail 3.85-4.30. 1 Eggs 1.13 X .80, the markings 

 averaging bolder and darker than in G. virginianus. Hab. Southern 

 Florida, Cuba, and Jamaica. 



420b. C. virginianus minor (Cab.). Cuban Nighthawk. 

 b 2 . Paler, with light grayish, buffy, or ochraceous markings predominating 

 on upper parts; length 9.15-10.00, wing 7.65-8.50 (7.89), tail 4.25-4.95 

 (4.59). Eggs 1.19 X -86, averaging paler than those of true C. virgini- 

 anus. Sab. "Western United States, east, occasionally, to western and 

 northern Illinois, south to table-lands of Mexico. 



420a. C. virginianus henryi (Cass.). Western Nighthawk. 

 a 2 . White (or buffy) spot or patch on quills situated usually mainly or wholly pos- 

 terior to tip of seventh quill, the space between this patch and the primary 

 coverts usually distinctly spotted with buff or ochraceous ; secondaries con- 

 spicuously spotted with ochraceous; general color above dull grayish, mot- 

 tled and streaked with dusky ; first quill usually shorter than second ; length 

 about 8.00-9.00, wing 6.60-7.30 (7.11), tail 4.10-4.75 (4.37). Eggs 1.08 X 

 .77, dull white, grayish white, etc.. finely speckled with olive or vandyke- 

 brown (averaging much paler in coloration than eggs of G virginianus henryi). 

 Hab. Southwestern border of United States (Texas to southern California), 

 and south to Costa Eica 421. C. texensis Lawk. Texan Nighthawk. 



1 Florida specimens are not quite typical, being larger than those from Cuba or Jamaica, and, as a rule, with 

 less ochraceous in their plumage. Four Florida specimens (Miami, Marco, and Clearwater), compared with four 

 from Jamaica and two from Cuba, measure as follows : 



Florida specimens ; Wing 7.00-7.25 (7.15), tail 4.10-4.30 (4.13). 



Cuban specimens : Wing 6.75-7.00 (6.88), tail 4.00-4.30 (4.15). 



Jamaican specimens : Wing 6.60-7.00 (6.80), tail 3.85-4.00 (3.95). 



