674 THE NORTH AMERICAN GOATSUCKERS. 
proaches their flight is lower; which is occasioned by the insects 
that they are pursuing seeking shelter for the night. Unlike the 
whippoorwill, this bird roosts almost entirely upon trees; in fact 
it is seldom found on the ground except during the breeding sea- 
son. In roosting it always rests in a parallel position with its 
perch. This is undoubtedly owing to its comparatively small and 
weak legs, which are not capable of sustaining it any length of 
time in a transverse posture. 
The western nighthawk (var. Henryi Cass.) was formerly consid- 
ered to be a distinct species, but is now regarded as only a geo- 
graphical variety of the preceding ; the principal difference being a 
paler coloration caused by a predominance of the lighter mark- 
ings. It inhabits the same region as Nuttall’s whippoorwill, or 
the whole of the western country. 
The Texas nighthawk is much smaller than either of the pre- 
ceding, and is very distinct, its nearest relative being a South 
American species (C. acutipennis). It is a more southern bird 
than the others, and is found most abundantly in the state from 
which it derives its name. 
DIAGNOSES OF GENERA AND SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN CAPRIMULGINE. 
A. Wings, comparatively speaking, short and rounded, with rufous spots; second 
quill longest; the primaries emarginated on their outer webs. Tail broad and 
grad — e terminal third, half or two-thirds of three outer ae 
white. TH soft and Jax; seve gape armed with very large iff 
eee Ani Amzn Gould. 
1. Length e extent 25°00; 8-50; tail 6°50. Prevailing color above 
and below pale rufous; top of head reddish brown, ‘streaked longitudi 
nally with black. 
white, with a pna? mottling on all the outer webs for nearly their whole 
l Tail but slightly graduated, the exterior feathers a quarter of 
e 
an look only shorter th iddle ones. Bristles of bill 
aments. Female without white patch tail. Habitat, south Atlantic 
and states. Cen Eo ? ‘aro sis Gould. 
S. Il. 
2. Length 10-00; extent 19:25; Neal ag “ig 5 00. Top of head, ) UMP, upper 
the streaks on the head mechan ing ¢ pile ent in the oantro; ‘forming a 
medial black band. Middle of back brownish black. and 
fore breast the same. A white collar on the under side of the cape the 
ends extending up on each side and nearly meeting a rufescent bang 
curling around the nape. Rest of under parts light hee cua 
2 8 
Bristles of mouth without lateral a ents. Female with no white on 
tail. Habitat, eastern U. S. to Kan A. vociferus gape 
ugth 8°00; wing 5°50; tail 365. Pre ianiai rt olor brownish-gray ; 
e head hoary gray, with transverse instead of longitudinal biack maed 
collar, or rather patch, of white on the neck, posterior to which the 
P onrt eo Ge > š ith y 3 wet Wings ciun jnnamon 
»oFe 
