Part 9

Caprimulgus macrurus, Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xiii. p. 142.

This, the only true Caprimulgus known to inhabit Australia, is I believe identical with the C. macrurus of Dr. Horsfield, whose specimens were procured in Java, while those I possess were obtained at Port Essington, where the bird is moderately plentiful; hence it would appear that it has an unusually wide range of habitat. It inhabits the open parts of the forest and is strictly nocturnal; it mostly rests on the ground on the shady side of a large tree close to the roots, and if disturbed several times in succession takes to the branch of one of the largest trees. I have never seen the eggs of this species, but I possess a young bird apparently only a few days old, which Mr. Gilbert found lying under a shrubby tree, without any nest or even a blade of grass near it; the little creature was so similar in colour to that of the ground upon which it was lying, that it was with difficulty detected, and Mr. Gilbert was only induced to search for it from the very peculiar manner in which the old bird rose, the reluctance it evinced to leave the spot, and its hovering over the place it had risen from, instead of flying off to the distance of nearly a hundred yards, as it usually does.

The sexes are distinguished from each other by the greater extent of the white mark on the primaries and outer tail-feathers; in other parts of the plumage and in size there is no difference.

Its food consists of moths, flies and coleopterous insects, which are taken during flight.

Head brownish grey, very minutely freckled with black; the feathers down the middle of the head and occiput with a large broad stripe of black down the centre; lores, space surrounding the eyes and ear-coverts reddish brown; on each side of the neck a broad stripe of rich buff barred with black; a narrow line of white passes below the angle of the mouth; chin brown; across the throat a band of white bounded below by black, the extremities of the white feathers being of that hue; centre of the back dark brown, freckled with black and buff; shoulders blackish brown; wing-coverts freckled grey, buff and black, each with a large spot of buff at the tip; primaries and secondaries blackish brown, the former crossed at their base, and the latter throughout their entire length, with reddish buff; the second and third primaries crossed near their base with a broad band of white, stained with buff on the outer margin; the first primary with a spot of white only on the margin of the inner web; the first three primaries freckled at their tips, and the remainder for the entire length of their inner webs with brownish grey; scapularies freckled grey and brown, with a large patch of deep dull black on their outer webs, margined externally with buff; rump freckled with dark brown and grey, and with an interrupted line of darker brown down the centre of each feather; two centre tail-feathers minutely and coarsely freckled with very dark brown; the next on each side very dark brown, crossed by irregular bands of freckled brownish grey and black; the next on each side similar, but the bands narrower and less conspicuous; the two outer ones on each side very dark brown for three parts of the length, the apical portion being white, stained with freckled buff and black on the outer webs; the basal or dark portion crossed by narrow indistinct and irregular bars of deep buff; breast freckled buff, grey and brown, some of the feathers in the centre of the breast largely tipped with buff; abdomen and under tail-coverts deep buff, crossed by narrow regular bands of dark brown; irides blackish brown; bill black; feet and claws reddish brown.

The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.

ACANTHYLIS CAUDACUTA.

J. Gould and H. C. Richter, del^t C. Hullmandel Imp. ]

ACANTHYLIS CAUDACUTA. Australian Spine-tailed Swallow.

Hirundo caudacuta, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. 57. sp. 1.—Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. vii. p. 307.—Vieill. 2nde Edit. du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xiv. p. 535; and Ency. Méth. Orn., Part II. p. 531.

Needle-tailed Swallow? Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 307.—Steph. Cont. Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. x. p. 133.

Pin-tailed Swallow, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. vii. p. 308.

Chætura Australis, Steph. Cont. Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xiii. p. 76.

Hirundo pacifica, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. 58.—Vieill. 2nde Edit. du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xiv. p. 511; and Ency. Méth. Orn., Part II. p. 529.

New Holland Swallow? Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 259.—Steph. Cont. Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. x. p. 132.—Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. vii. p. 308.

Chætura macroptera, Swains. Zool. Ill. 2nd Ser., pl. 42.—Gould, Birds of Australia, Part II. cancelled.

This noble species, the largest of the Hirundinidæ yet discovered, is a summer visitant of the eastern portions of Australia, proceeding as far south as Van Diemen’s Land; but its visits to this island are not so regular as to New South Wales, and its stay in these southern latitudes is never protracted. The months of January and February are those in which it has been most frequently observed in Van Diemen’s Land, where it simultaneously appears in large flocks, which after spending a few days disappear as suddenly as they arrived. I am not aware of its having been observed in Western Australia, neither has it occurred in any of the collections formed at Port Essington.

The keel or breast-bone of this species is more than ordinarily deep, and the pectoral muscles more developed than in any other bird of its weight with which I am acquainted. Its whole form is especially and beautifully adapted for aërial progression, and as its lengthened wings would lead us to imagine, its power of flight, both for rapidity and extension, is truly amazing; hence it readily passes from one part of the country to another, and if so disposed may be engaged in hawking for flies on the continent of Australia at one moment, and in half an hour be similarly employed in Van Diemen’s Land.

So exclusively is this bird a tenant of the air, that I never in any instance saw it perch, and but rarely sufficiently near the earth to admit of a successful shot; it is only late in the evening and during lowery weather that such an object can be accomplished. With the exception of the Crane, it is certainly the most lofty as well as the most vigorous flier of the Australian birds. I have frequently observed in the middle of the hottest days, while lying prostrate on the ground with my eyes directed upwards, the cloudless blue sky peopled at an immense elevation by hundreds of these birds, performing extensive curves and sweeping flights, doubtless attracted thither by the insects that soar aloft during serene weather; hence, as I have before stated, few birds are more difficult to obtain, particularly on the continent of Australia, where long droughts are so prevalent; on the contrary, the flocks that visit the more humid climate of Van Diemen’s Land, where they necessarily seek their food near the earth, are often greatly diminished by the gun during their stay.

I regret that I could ascertain no particulars whatever respecting the nidification of this fine bird, but we may naturally conclude that both rocks and holes in the larger trees are selected as sites for the purpose, as well as for a roosting-place during the night. Before retiring to roost, which it does immediately after the sun has gone down, the Spine-tailed Swallow may frequently be seen, either singly or in pairs, sweeping up the gullies or flying with immense rapidity just above the tops of the trees, their never-tiring wings enabling them to perform their evolutions in the capture of insects, and of sustaining themselves in the air during the entire day, without cessation.

The sexes offer no perceptible difference in their outward appearance; but the female, as is the case with the other members of the family, is a trifle smaller than her mate.

Crown of the head, back of the neck, and ear-coverts deep shining green strongly tinged with brown; a small space immediately before the eye deep velvety black; band across the forehead, throat, inner webs of the secondaries nearest the back, a patch on the lower part of the flanks and the under tail-coverts white; wings and tail deep shining green, with purple reflexions; centre of the back greyish brown, becoming darker towards the rump; chest and abdomen dark clove-brown; bill black; feet brown.

The figures are those of the male and female of the natural size.

CYPSELUS AUSTRALIS: Gould.

J. Gould and H. C. Richter, del^t C. Hullmandel Imp. ]

CYPSELUS AUSTRALIS, Gould. Australian Swift.

Cypselus Australis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VII. p. 141.

As I had never seen or heard of a true Swift in Australia, I was no less surprised than gratified when I discovered this species to be tolerably numerous on the Upper Hunter, during my first visit to that district in 1838. Those I then observed were flying high in the air and performing immense sweeps and circles, while engaged in the capture of insects. I succeeded in killing six or eight individuals, among which were adult examples of both sexes, but I was unable to obtain any particulars as to their habits and economy. It would be highly interesting to know whether this bird, like the other members of the family, returns annually to spend the months of summer in Australia. I think it likely that this may be the case, and that it may have been frequently confounded with the Acanthylis caudacuta, as I have more than once seen the two species united in flocks, hawking together in the cloudless skies, like the Martins and Swallows of our own island. By the discovery of this bird another beautiful instance of representation is brought under our notice; evincing most clearly that the Australian Swift, Swallow and Martin are representatives of the Swift, Swallow and Martin of Europe, each performing in their respective hemispheres similar offices in the great scheme of nature.