É j
P l a t e X X .
NYCTIBIUS BRACTEATUS.
{SPANGLED NIGHT-EIED).
Myctibius bracteaius . . . Gould, P.Z.S . 184G, p. 1.
■> » . . . Cassin, Cat. Capr. e t Pro c . Acad. Ph il. 1851, p . 184.
. . . Sclater, P.Z.S . 1866, pp. 130, 585.
M y c tib im ru fu s . . . Cab. iu Schomb. Gu ian . iii, p. 711 (1848).
„ . . . Sc la ter, P.Z.S . 1860, p. 130.
Liete ru fu s, p lumis minutissimè u ig ro variegatis, se ap u la rib u s e t secundariis a larum u ecnon v e n tre to to cum crisso
maculis albis q u a d ra tis te rm in alib u s o ruatis, b is maculis, p r e c ip u e in se ap u la rib u s e t ventre, n ig ro su p rà e t su b tu s
m a rg in a tis : remig ib u s a la rum fusco-nigris ex tu s ru fe sc e n tib u s ; c auda l« tè ru fà nigro tran s fa sciata : alis subtiis
n ig ric an tib u s : long, to ta 9-0, al® 6-4, caud® 5 0.
S a i . in G u ia n a B rita n n ic à e t valle Amazon.
In the Planches Enlmninécs, Bnffon gives a very poor figure o f a Caprhnnlgine bird from
Cayenne, under the name “ Grapavd volant ou Teite-chevre de Cayenne,"* and describes the
same species in his “ Histoire Katm-elle” as L'Engoulevent roux, de Cayenne."\ Dr. Cahanis,
when characterizing the present species o f Nydibius, in the third volume o f Schombnrgk’s
“ Gniana,” seems to thmk that it may possibly be the same as that described and figured by
Bnffon. Dr. Cabanis accordingly names this bird Nyetibius rufus, the Caprimulyus rufus of
Boddaert and Gmelin, having been foimded on Buffon’s description and figure. In this we
cannot agree with him, as i f Buffon’s bird is to be associated with any known species we should
rather be mclined to follow Mr. Cassin in considering it to represent the Aniroskmms rutilus
o f Biu-meister, than the present Nyctihius.\
Such being the case, Dr. Cahanis’ name for this bird must give way to Mr. Gould’s term
liracteahis, nnder wliieh it is described in the “ Proceedings” o f the Zoological Society for 1846,
from a specimen then in the Museum o f the Royal Institution o f Liverpool. This specimen was
subsequently parted with to Mr. Wilson, and is now, we believe, in the collection o f the Academy
o f Natural Sciences, Philadelphia.
Our figure o f this bird is taken fi-om the tjqie o f NycOiius rufus, in the Royal Zoological
Museum o f Berlin, our friend. Dr. William Peters, Director o f that Institution, having, with his
accustomed liberality, sent it over to us for the pui-pose.
* Pi. E u l. 735,
i See M r. Sc la ter’a rema rk s o
i To l. vi. p. 581.
1 th is subject, P.Z.S. 18G6, p. 3.36, e t p, 585.