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Genus— E UROSTOPODUS. 
Eurostopodus Gould, Synops. Birds Austr., pt. iv., 
App. p. 1, ApL, 1838 Type E. mystacalis. 
Also spelt — 
Eurosiopus Sundevall Av. Meth. Nat., Disp. Tent. p. 86, 1873. 
Caprimulgene birds of normal size, lacking the stiff long rictal bristles 
of the typical genus. 
The bill is minute, triangular, with gape very wide : the flattened 
tip is not curved, the culmen strongly keeled, sides horizontal showing the 
nostrils as tubes hidden by feathers : along the gape short soft bristles. 
The wings are very long, the first primary longest with webs entire : 
the second and third a little shorter, the web scalloped on the outer 
edge ; these constitute the tip, the fourth primary being much shorter and 
the others increasingly so, the secondaries also short. 
The tail is very long and square, being more than half the length of 
the whig. 
The feet are very small with the tarsus feathered. The toes are 
joined at their bases with a small web, the inner and outer being about 
the same length reaching only to the second joint of the middle one : their 
claws are small, but the claw of the middle toe is long and serrated. 
The hind toe is short, as is the hind claw. 
In every structural detail, save the lack of the rictal bristles, superficially 
this genus agrees wdth Caprimulgus. Even in coloration it is a normal 
Caprimulgine bird. However, all over the world true Caprimulgine birds 
are found as well as abnormal members, showing variation in the way 
of crests, elongation of wing-feathers and pecuhar tail formation. Also 
peculiar colour variations occur, in which the rictal bristles are present. 
Structurally, as regards internal features, these have been found to diffei; 
so remarkably that it must be conceded that the Caprimulgine forms 
are a very ancient group and the exact relationship of the species can 
only be gauged by osteological examination. In the present case we have 
another pecuhar Australian group, two species being endemic and a third 
from New Guinea. It is remarkable that two species so much ahke should 
occur together in Australia, and their distribution is not well defined owing 
to their close resemblance. In the immature of Caprimulgus the rictal 
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