jar may be told by its large size, the wing being about 7 | inches in
length. The male has white spots on the inner webs of the first
three primaries; the female has none of these white spots on the
wing or tail, but the inner web of the quills is barred with rufous,
these bars being narrow and at least eight in number. The only
other South African Nightjar which could be mistaken for the
female 0. europceus is the female of Oosmetorius vexillarius (M,
sperlingi, Sharpe), which is equally large, but has a very broad
rufous collar and has only six broad rufous bars on the inner web.
Fig. Dresser, B. Bur. part xxxv [ j ] : Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr.
pi. cii [? ].
79. C aprimulgus pec to ra l is . South-African Nightjar.
Gaprimulgus atrovarius, Layard, B.'.S. Afr. p. 48.
This species appears to be entirely confined to South Africa, and
is found about Cape Town, frequenting gardens and orchards. It is
common at Rondebosch and along the forest-clad eastern face of
Table Mountain. The late Mr. Andersson procured it at the Knysna,
where also Yictorin found it in May, as well as from July to September.
Mr. H. Atmore has forwarded it from the neighbourhood
of George, and Mr. T. C. Atmore from Eland's Post. Mr. Rickard
records it from Port Elizabeth.
Like all its congeners, it flies abroad as soon as the twilight begins
to darken, and often perches on the rails of garden-fences, sitting
lengthways along them. It has the | churring note of the other
Goatsuckers, and lays two greyish, cream-coloured eggs, shaped
much the same at each end, freckled and blotched with brown spots
and patches. Mr. Henry Buckley tells us that the eggs in his collection
measure P04 x 0‘77 inch, and are of a creamy white colour,
marked with faint purplish spots, and shaped alike at both ends.
The nest is a mere depression in the soil, under the shelter of a
large stone or bush. At Mr. Yigne’s farm, on the River Zonder
End, a bird of this species has hatched her eggs, for several successive
years, in a flower-bed close to a well-used path. We saw her
sitting in the beginning of November; she allowed us to approach
within two or three feet of her, and never once moved from her
nest, though we visited her daily. Her eyes were always closed to
within a mere thread-like crack, out of which she watched every
movement, and she generally rested her head on a small dead branch
that lay beside the nest.
This Nightjar is remarkable for its very black coloration and broad
golden-buff collar. The length is about 9'5 inches; wing, 6'8. Both
male and female have the white spots on the wing-feathers, the first
four primaries being spotted. The two outer tail-feathers have a
white termination, of exactly the same size in both, and occupying
nearly the terminal half of the feather.
Fig. Levaill, Ois. d’Afr. i, pi. 49.
8 0 . Caprimulgus r u f ig en a . Rufous-cheeked Goatsucker.
Sir A. Smith says that this Goatsucker “ is chiefly found in the
eastern districts of the colony, and, in common with the other Cape
species, seeks its food generally in the dusk of the evening, and
during the early part of the night.'1'’ We have seen it from the
Karroo near Beaufort, and from Grahamstown. At Port Elizabeth
it has been noted by Mr. Rickard. Dr. Exton met with it near Kanye
in the Matabili country, and Mr. T. E. Buckley, in his account of his
journey in the latter locality, observes:—“ This is the only species
of Goatsucker we obtained, and it was common from the Limpopo,
where we only found it in the rainy season, far into the Matabili
country.-” Mr. Ayres has found it in the Transvaal, where he procured
the egg. Mr. Andersson writes:—“ I have found this bird
tolerably common in the southern part of Damara Land, and it is
also an inhabitant of Great Namaqua Land. It is met with singly
or in pairs, and frequents moderately dense brushwood.” He thinVa
that they are partially migratory as they are " much more common
m the ramy than during the dry season.” It is certain that the
present species goes further to the north than Mr. Andersson tells
us in the above notes, for he himself procured it subsequently in
Ondonga. How far it extends on the eastern side of the continent
has yet to be seen, but at present it has not been found even in the
Zambesi, and so does not find a place in the “ Vogel Ostafrika’s” of
Drs. Pinsch and Hartlaub.
Mr. H. Jackson found it breeding at Camfers Kraal, where he
resides, and forwarded eggs: these are oval, of a dull salmon
coloured ground, profusely blotched and clouded with greyish purple.
Axis, 12///; diam., 9"'.