A Synopsis of the Birds of North America. John James Audubon
not extended beyond the middle of the shaft. Plumage very soft and blended. Wings long and pointed, the second quill longest; tail long, rounded.
41. 1. Caprimulgus Carolinensis, Gmel. Carolina Goatsucker.—Chuck-will's-widow.
Plate LII. Male and Female.
Bristles with lateral filaments; tail slightly rounded. Head and back dark brown, minutely mottled with yellowish-red, and longitudinally streaked with black; three bands of the latter colour, from the lower mandible diverging along the head; a yellowish-white line over the eye; wings barred with yellowish-red and brownish-black, and minutely sprinkled with the latter colour, as are the wing-coverts, which, together with the scapulars, are largely spotted with black, and tinged with grey; tail similarly barred and dotted; terminal half of the inner webs of the three outer feathers white, their extremities light red; lower parts dull reddish-yellow, sprinkled with dusky; a band of whitish feathers barred with black on the fore neck. Female like the male, but without white on the tail.
Male, 123/4, 26. Female, 131/4, 30.
From Texas to North Carolina. Up the Mississippi to Natchez. Resident in the Floridas.
Chuck-will's-widow, Caprimulgus Carolinensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vi. p. 95.
Caprimulgus Carolinensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 61.
Chuck-will's-widow, Caprimulgus Carolinensis, v. i. p. 612.
Chuck-will's-widow, Caprimulgus Carolinensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 273; v. v. p. 401.
42. 2. Caprimulgus vociferus, Wils. Whip-poor-will Goatsucker.
Bristles without lateral filaments; tail much rounded. General colour of upper parts dark brownish-grey, streaked and minutely sprinkled with brownish-black; quills and coverts dark brown, spotted in bars with light brownish-red; four middle tail-feathers like those of the back, the three lateral white in their terminal half; throat and breast similar to the back, with a transverse band of white on the fore neck, the rest of the lower parts paler and mottled. Female like the male, but with the lateral tail-feathers reddish-white toward the tip only, and the band across the fore neck pale yellowish-brown.
Male, 91/2, 19. Female.
From Texas to Lake Huron, and the base of the Rocky Mountains. A few remain in winter in Florida.
Whip-poor-will, Caprimulgus vociferus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 71.
Caprimulgus vociferus, Bonap. Syn. p. 62.
Whip-poor-will, Caprimulgus vociferus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 422; v. v. p. 405.
Whip-poor-will, Caprimulgus vociferus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 614.
GENUS II. CHORDEILES, Swainson. NIGHT-HAWK.
Mouth opening to beneath the centre of the eyes; bill extremely small; upper mandible with the tip decurved, and a deep lateral groove. Nostrils oblong, prominent, marginate. Eyes very large. Aperture of ear elliptical, very large. Head very large, depressed, but less so than in Caprimulgus. Claw of middle toe pectinate. No bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Wings very long, pointed, with the first quill longest, and the secondaries very short. Tail emarginate.
43. 1. Chordeiles Virginianus, Briss. Virginian Night-Hawk.—Bat. Crapaud volant.
Plate CXLVII. Male and Female.
Upper parts brownish-black, mottled with white and pale reddish-brown; a conspicuous white bar extending across the inner web of the first, and the whole breadth of the next four quills; tail-feathers barred with brownish-grey, the four outer on each side plain brownish-black towards the end, with a large white spot; sides of the head and fore neck mottled like the back; a broad white band, in the form of the letter V reversed on the throat and sides of the neck; the rest of the lower parts greyish-white, transversely undulated with dark brown. Female similar, with the dark parts more brown, the white more tinged with red, the band on the throat brownish-white, and the white spots on the tail-feathers wanting.
Male, 91/2, 231/2. Female, 93/4, 233/4.
From Texas northward. Columbia River. Throughout the interior. Migratory. Very abundant.
Night-Hawk, Caprimulgus Americanus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. Biog. v. v. p. 65.
Caprimulgus Virginianus, Bonap. Syn. p. 62.
Caprimulgus (Chordeiles) Virginianus, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. i. p. 62.
Night-Hawk, Caprimulgus Americanus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 619.
Night-Hawk, Caprimulgus Virginianus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 273; v. v. p. 406.
FAMILY V. CYPSELINÆ. SWIFTS.
Mouth opening to beneath the hind part of the eyes; bill extremely short, very broad at the base, compressed at the end; upper mandible decurved at the point, the edge inflected, with an indistinct sinus. Nostrils basal, approximate, oblong. Head large and depressed; neck short; body rather slender. Feet extremely short; tarsus rounded, destitute of scutella; toes extremely short, the three anterior nearly equal; hind toe very small, and versatile; claws strong, compressed, arched, very acute. Plumage compact; no bristles at the base of the upper mandible; wings extremely elongated, falciform, the first quill longest; tail of ten feathers. Œsophagus of moderate width, without crop; stomach oblong, moderately muscular, with a dense rugous epithelium; intestine short, and rather wide; no cœca. No inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest in crevices or holes, or attached to high places. Eggs elongated, white.
GENUS I. CHÆTURA, Stephens. SPINE-TAIL.
All the characters as above. Tarsus bare, longer than the middle toe, which scarcely exceeds the outer. Tail short, even, the shafts very strong, and prolonged into acuminate points.
44. 1. Chætura pelasgia, Linn. American Spine-tail.—Chimney Swallow. American Swift.
Brownish-black, lighter on the rump, with a slight greenish gloss on the head and back; throat greyish-white, lower parts greyish-brown, tinged with green; loral space black, and a greyish-white line over the eye. Female similar to the male.
Male, 41/4, 12.
Extends as far eastward as Nova Scotia. Abundant. Migratory.
Chimney Swallow, Hirundo pelasgia, Wils. Amer. Ornith. v. v. p. 48.
Cypselus pelasgius, Bonap. Syn. p. 63.
Chimney Swift or Swallow, Cypselus pelasgius, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 609.
Chimney Swallow or American Swift, Cypselus pelasgius, Aud. Ornith. Biog. v. ii. p. 329; v. v. p. 419.
FAMILY VI. HIRUNDINÆ. SWALLOWS.
Bill very short, much depressed and very broad at the base, compressed toward the tip; upper mandible with the dorsal line convex, the edges overlapping, with a small notch close to the slightly decurved tip. Head broad, depressed; neck very short, body moderate. Feet very short, tarsus very short, anteriorly scutellate; toes of moderate size; first large, all scutellate in their whole length; claws rather strong, compressed, well curved, acute. Plumage soft, blended, glossy. No bristles at the base of the bill. Wings extremely long, narrow, pointed, somewhat falciform; secondaries very short. Tail generally emarginate, of twelve feathers. Mouth extremely wide; œsophagus rather wide, without crop; stomach elliptical or roundish, muscular, with a dense rugous epithelium; cœca very small. Four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest in holes in banks, buildings, or trees, or attached to the surface of these objects. Eggs from four to six, white, plain, or spotted.
GENUS I. HIRUNDO, Linn. SWALLOW.
Characters as above; tail emarginate or forked.
45. 1. Hirundo purpurea, Linn. Purple Martin.
Plate XXIII. Male and Female.
Bill rather stout; wings as long as the tail, which is deeply emarginate. Plumage silky, shining, purplish-black, with steel blue reflections;