L O T C O J& M I S C E R T O T I C M I P S , ^ ^ /
Genus LYNCORNIS, Gould.
C h a r a c t e r e s G e n b r i c i .
Caput penicillis elongatis ( quasi auribus) instructum. Rostrum depressum et perdebile; rictu amplissimo, infra oculos
tendente, setisque carente ; mribus basalibus rotundatis, pkmisque frontis obtectis. Alæ perlongoe, primariis rigidis,
remige secundo longissimo. Cauda mediocris, eequalis, et, (sicut alæ,') notâ albâ carens. Tarsi breves, robusti, anticè,
phmis ex parte, tecti. Digiti breves, ad basin membranâ conjuncti, latérales æquales ; intermedii unguis pectinatus.
L Y N C O R N I S C B R V IN IC E P S , Gould.
Lync. vertice pallidè cervino, minuté nigro fasciato, plumis nonmllis notis nigris in medio omatis ; genis, pkmisque auricu-
laribus castaneis, nigro crebrè adspersis; penicillis capitis nigris; gulApectoreque nigrescenti-fuscis; lined albâ inter
has partes dividente, diktiore ad nucham, et in cervinum transeunte ; abdomine cervino, pkmis ad basin nigris ; dorso
alisque, cervino, castaneo, nigroque variegatis ; primariis nigrescenti-fuscis, castaneo interruptè fasciatis ; caudd nigre-
scenti-fuscd, cervino adspersâ, et interruptè, et latè fasciatâ.
Long. tôt. 23£ une. ; rostri, 1-f- ; alæ, 1 2 ; caudæ, 7% ; tarsi, ■§■.
Crown of the head light buff, minutely barred with black, several of the feathers having central spots of the same
colour ; sides of the face and ear-coverts chestnut, largely freckled with black ; egrets black ; throat and
chest blackish brown, with a line of white dividing the chest and throat, and expanding upon the back of the
neck, where it deepens into fawn colour ; abdomen and under-surface buff, with the basal portion of each
feather black; back and wings mottled with buff, chestnut, and black, the buff predominating along the
scapularies and down the centre of the wing ; primaries blackish brown, with interrupted bands of chestnut ;
tail blackish brown, with four or five broad, irregular bands of buff, the black interspaces marbled with buff ;
bill and feet brown.
Lyncomis cerviniceps, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part VI. 1838.
I h a v e never seen more than a single specimen of this truly beautiful Goat-sucker; and this I received seven
years a g o ; it was said to be a native o f China o r the adjacent islands. I have selected it as the type o f the
genus Lyncomis, a minor group among the Caprimulgidce, conspicuous for their large eyes, lengthened
egrets, and great powers o f flight. The analogy o f this group to that' o f th e horned owls is too palpable to
escape observation; the irides o f the members o f this genus will in all probability prove to be either yellow
or hazel. The species described above is in the collection o f the Zoological Society.
The figure is o f the natural size.