43 



SIPHONORHIS scl. 



Siphonorhis Sclater, P.Z.S. 1861, p. 77. Type : Caprimulgus americanus L. 



THE bill is extremely broad at base, the tip strong and heavily 

 decurved ; nostrils tubular and very prominent ; rictal bristles 

 strongly developed. Wing pointed, third primary longest ; tail 

 rounded, almost graduated. Tarsi long and naked. The sexes differ slightly 

 in coloration." (Hartert.) 



SIPHONORHIS AMERICANUS <lo 



(Plate 5a.) 



"Small Wood-Owle" Sloane, Voy. Jamaica II, p. 296, pi. 255, fig. 1 (1725). 



Caprimulgus americanus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., Ed. X, p. 193 (1758 — Ex Sloane. "Habitat 

 in America calidiore "). 



Chordeiles americanus Bonaparte, Consp. Av. I, p. 63 (1850). 



Siphonorhis americanus Sclater, P.Z.S. 1861, p. 77; id. P.Z.S. 1866, p. 144; Cory, B. W. 

 Indies, p. 139 (1889) ; Hartert, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XVI, p. 592 (1892). 



THE whole diagnosis of Linnaeus is " Caprimulgus narium tubulis 

 eminentibus," but the prominent tubular nostrils are just the character 

 which distinguishes S. americanus most strikingly from all the other 

 goatsuckers, and I think that Sloane's figure and description are sufficient to 

 indicate this bird. Sloane says as follows : — 



" This was seven Inches from the end of the Bill to that of the Tail, 

 and ten from the end of Wing to Wing expanded, it had a quarter of an Inch 

 long crooked black bill, with two Tubuli about one eight Part of an Inch 

 long for the Nostrills, along the upper Mandible were several bristly Hairs in 

 a Line, like those of a Cat's Mustachoes of a black Colour, the Aperture of 

 Chaps or Swallow was extraordinary large. The Feathers on the Head and 

 under the Chaps were many, the Tail was four Inches long, the Head and 

 Back were cover'd with Feathers of a mixt Colour of Feuille Morte, grey 

 and black, the Wings and Tail were of the same Colour only Lighter under 

 the Chaps, Breast and Belly was also of the same, the Legs and Feet were an 

 Inch and half cover'd with brown Scales, the Toes four, three before, that in 

 the middle three-quarters of an Inch long, and one behind. 



