THE COMMON INDIAN NIGHTJAR. 17 
The Frogmouths appear to inhabit thick brushwood in heavy £orest_, 
and to be entirely crepuscular or nocturnal in their movements. Mr. 
Bourdillon^ writing of the allied B. moniliger, says : — ^' If I am not mis- 
taken^ the habits of this bird are very shy and retiring_, for it never appears 
to venture into the open, and only commences calling in the breeding- 
season some considerable time after dark, and living entirely in dense 
jungle it is a very difficult bird to secure.^"' 
According to Mr. Hodgson^s notes, the present species makes a nearly 
flat nest of lichens and moss overlaid with a soft downy vegetable substance 
blended into a felt-like mass. It is placed on a horizontal branch of a tree 
close to its junction with the trunk. 
Subfamily CAPRIMULGIN^. 
Genus CAPMMULGUS, Linn, 
414. CAPRIMULGUS ASIATICUS. 
THE COMMON INDIAN NIGHTJAR. 
Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath. Ind. Orn.n. p. 588; Jet^d. B. Ind. i. p. 197; Hume^ 
Nests and Eygs, p. 97 ; id. S. F. iii. p. 46 ; Bl. B. Burnt, p, 83 ; Hume ^ Bav. 
S. F. vi. p. 59 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 343 ; Brooks, S. F. vii. p. 169 ; Hume, 
S. F. viii. p. 85 ; Bingham, S. F. ix. p. 150. 
Description. — Male. Of pale but rich coloration ; a broad coronal streak 
black; scapulars richly marked with black and buflP; first primary with a 
round spot on the inner web, not extending up to the shaft ; second pri- 
mary with a larger white spot, also not extending to the shaft ; a small 
buff patch on the outer web ; third primary with a large white spot reach- 
ing to the shaft ; a buff patch on the outer web ; fourth primary with a 
reduced white spot shading off into buff at its edges ; a buff patch on the 
outer web ; the other primaries barred black and rufous ; outermost tail- 
feathers with a terminal white patch about 1*5 inch long, the next pair 
with a terminal white patch about I inch long ; the next two pairs chiefly 
black ; the central pair like the upper plumage. 
The female is precisely similar to the male, but the white on wings and 
tail is hardly so pure. 
Bill at base flesh-colour, with a reddish tinge on the upper mandible ; 
tip dark brown ; feet pinkish brown ; claws horn-colour ; edges of eyelids 
buff ; irides brown. 
VOL. II. 
c 
