. j a e -O T H E iX iT E S ' I f . A X . I j A C I I , G r a y
^GOTHELES WALLACH, Gray.
Wallace’s Goatsucker.
JEgotheles wallacii, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1859, p. 154.—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 433.—Finsch, Neu-Guinea,
p. 162 (1865).—Schlegel, Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierk. iii. p. 340 (1866).—Gray, Hand-list Birds, i. p. 55,
no. 603 (1869).—-Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1873, p. 696.—Meyer, Sitz. lc. Akad. Wien, lxix. p. 75
(1874).—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, x. p. 310 (1877).—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1878, p. 94.—Id. Orn.
Papuasia e delle Molucche, ii. p. 526 (1880).—Id. Report Yoy. H.M.S. ‘ Challenger/ p. 77 (1882).—
Meyer in Madaräsz, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. i. p. 278, pi. xvii. fig. 4 (1884).—Guillemard, Proc. Zool. Soc.
1885, p. 630.
? Caprimulgtis Irachyurtis, Schl. Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierk. iii. p. 340 (1866, ex Rosenb. MSS.).—Rosenb. Nat.
Tijdschr. Nederl. Ind. xxix. p. 143 (1867).—Id. Reis, naar Zuidoostereil. p. 37 (1867).
T his interesting Goatsucker was discovered by Mr. A. R. Wallace during his travels in the east, a t Dorei in
New Guinea, and the type specimen is in the British Museum. I t has since been met with in the same
locality by Mr. Bruijn’s hunters, as well as on the Arfak Mountains by D r. A. B. Meyer, and in Atam by
Signor D’Albertis. I t appears to represent in North-western New Guinea the Australian ¿Egotheles novce-
hollandioB, and it is replaced in South-eastern New Guinea by ¿E. bennetti. It differs from the latter, and
consequently also from JE. novae-hollandice, in its dark coloration, and in having the fore p art of the crown
varied with rufous, and in exhibiting some whitish-red spots on the scapular feathers.
A Goatsucker from the Aru Islands has been described by Baron von Rosenberg as a distinct species
under the name o f Caprimulgus brachyurus. Count Salvadori, who has examined the type in the Leyden
Museum, is o f opinion th at it is a young bird o f the genus ASgotheles, with an imperfectly developed tail,
probably referable to ¿E. wallacii; but he has also seen a second specimen from the Aru Islands collected
during the ‘ Challenger ’ expedition, and he believes th at the Aru bird is probably distinct, by reason o f its
smaller dimensions and more minute vermiculations. We have examined the last-named specimen and find
that it fully bears out Count Salvador/s opinion ; but it will be better to wait for a larger series o f specimens
before venturing to separate the Aru bird specifically, as Goatsuckers vary so much in the intensity
of their coloration.
Dr. Meyer has recently received a specimen from the same group of islands, where the bird is called by
the natives “ T a tar faffu.” The iris was greyish brown and the feet dark flesh-colour. The egg, which is
figured by Dr. Meyer, is cream-coloured, with scribblings o f dusky greyish.
We do not give a detailed description o f this species, the characters having been well pointed out
above.
The Plate represents two adult birds of the natural size, the figures having been drawn from a specimen
lent to us by Dr. Guillemard.
[R. B. S.]