CAPRIMULGUS.
Grey-brown birds allied to Swifts. Wing very long; nocturnal or crepuscular in habits, flight noiseless; hawk insects ; no nest; eggs, usually 2, laid in hollow on ground.
Caprimulgus europcous europreus L. N ICI Fr. Engoulevent ; Ger. Zeigenmelker ; Ital. Nottolone ; Szved. Nattskarra.
Above grey, vermiculated and streaked with black and warm buff ; upper tail coverts and tail barred black ; beneath, abdomen, under tail coverts and under wing coverts buff barred black ; on each side of throat a white patch ; 1st, znd and 3rd primaries with a large white spot on inner web ; two outer pairs of rectrices white tipped for about 35 m.m. Bill black. Legs and feet reddish brown. Wing Q 190-200. Tarsus 16-17. Bill 8-9. White spots on primaries and white tips tail feathers replaced by rusty yellow, marbled brown.
Breeds.—British Isles and C. Europe north to about uncommon Denmark ; in Russia east to Urals and Orenburg, but rare in S.E. (Astrakhan). Migrates ; occurs Hungary, Balkans, Mediterranean Islands, Caucasia, Spain and N. Africa (Egypt to Morocco) on passage. Winters Africa south to Cape Colony.
C. europmus meridionalis Hartert. Like typical " europmus " hut smaller. Wing 174-186 (H.).
Breeds.—S. Europe ; Spain, Corsica, Sardinia, S. Italy, Hungary and Rumania to Greece and Balkans, also Crimea, Caucasus, and Asia Minor ; and N.W. Africa (Morocco to Tunisia). Occurs Egypt on passage ; winters in Africa.
C. europmus unwini Hume. Paler than "europmus," more sandy grey above ; spots on inner webs of primaries larger, in 1st reaching the shaft, in znd and 3rd extending to both webs ; under tail coverts usually faintly barred, sometimes uniform. Wing shorter, e 180-186 (H.).
Breeds.—S.W. Asia, east to Kashmir. Has occurred at Oren burg, E. Russia, and in winter in Natal (S. Africa).
C. europus sarudnyi Hartert. Intermediate between
" unwini " and " europus " ; white spots on primaries as in "unwini" but colour above as in " europxus " ; also intermediate in size. Wing 181-196 (H.).
Breeds.—C. Asian Mountains. Occurs Egypt on passage.
Caprimulgus ruficollis ruficollis Temminck. RUFOUS NECKED NIGHTJAR.
e Larger than "C. e. europus " and more rufous, especially beneath ; collar rufous ; on throat distinct white patch black tipped.
Bill black. Legs and feet dark brown. Wing (S 205-212 (I IA 9 slightly shorter. Tarsus 19-23. Bill 10. 9 differs from 9 of " europxus" in having the white spots on primaries and white tips to tail feathers as in j, white tips, however, are shorter (about 25 m.m.).
Breeds.—Morocco, S. Spain, Portugal. Rare elsewhere in Europe, obtained once in England. Migratory ; occurs in winter in Sahara.
C. ruficollis desertorum Erlanger. Paler rufous than "ruficollis" and with fewer black markings above ; less barred beneath. Wing j 195-204, 9 187-202 (W.).
Breeds.—Tunisia and Algeria, north of Atlas. Migratory.
Caprimulgus regyptius tegyptius Lichtenstein.
j 9 Above sandy grey, tinged reddish, irregularly ver miculated with reddish buff and black ; inner webs primaries white with black indentations and tip sandy colour ; beneath dull buff distinctly but narrowly barred. Bill dark brown. Legs and feet reddish brown. Wing e 184-211, 9 190-208. Tarsus 21-23. Bill 8-9 (W.).
Preeds.—Egypt and Nubia to S.W. Asia. Of occasional occurrence Malta ; twice Sicily, once England and Heligo land. Migrates, but found in Egypt in winter.
C. egyptius sahare Erlanger. Redder than typical form, more sandy ; less marked with black on upper parts ; bars on underparts very faint.
Breeds.—Algeria and Tunisia to Egypt, west of Nile.