_Nyctibius pallidus._—+Mihi.+
[11] Length 11 inches, expanse 22, rictus 1⁵⁄₈, beak from feathers
to tip ⁵⁄₈, flexure 6, tail 3³⁄₄.
“The nostrils prominent, tubulated, and covered with a membrane;
from the nostrils runs a deep groove or furrow towards the tip.
The beak was bent like the end of an Owl’s, and when closed was
longer than the under mandible; the latter was of a subulated form,
shorter and bending in a contrary direction to the upper one: it
was broader than the upper; its margins were inverted, and received
the upper one exactly, when closed. There were no bristles on the
angle of the mouth. The tibiæ [tarsi?] or shank-bones are shortened
into a heel, so that the measure of what is usually called the
leg, from the bend of the knee to the first joint of the middle
toe is only ²⁄₈ of an inch. The length of that part which ought
to be called the leg, [tibia?] is 1¹⁄₂ inch, and the bone of the
thigh 1 inch. Toes four, three before, one behind; covered with
ash-coloured scales, very flat beneath, and all connected by narrow
membrane. Claws brown, strong, gently curved and compressed; middle
claw thinned to an edge on the inner side, but not serrate. Tail
of ten feathers, equal, broad, rounded, barred with blackish and
grey, and these bars again marked with less black bars. Wing quills
coloured chiefly like the tail, but deeper; secondaries edged with
clay-colour; winglet and long coverts immediately beneath it,
black, with a few whitish bars; greater coverts black, edged with
clay-colour; the next row of coverts whitish, with black shafts;
the next row black, making a large triangular black spot in the
expanded wing. Eyes very large, irides bright yellow. Head, neck,
and throat white, with black shafts; above each eye some black and
white streaked feathers in an erect position, forming two small
roundish rings. On the breast, clay-coloured feathers with black
shafts, and black spots. Sides, belly, and vent, white with black
shafts. A line of black feathers down the middle of the back; rump
ashy, with narrow black shafts. On shoulders a mixture of ash and
clay-colour, with black shafts. Plumage very loose. Weight 3 oz. 7
sc.”
The description below I have quoted (somewhat abridged) from Robinson’s
MSS., who has given an elaborately coloured figure of the species in
his drawings. I have never met with it, but I think Mr. Hill has; for
he has assured me of the existence of two true Nyctibii in Jamaica,
besides the common Potoo; and two Caprimulgi, besides the Piramidig. I
knew not exactly which species are alluded to in the following extract
from a letter of Andrew Gregory Johnston, Esq., of Portland parish,
a mountain region, to Mr. Hill. “We have two birds called Patoo; one
white, the other brown. The first resembles the Scritch-Owl of Europe;
the last is smaller; it is dark brown, and makes a noise by night, (and
occasionally by day) half guttural, half pectoral or ventral, sounding
the monosyllable _wow_, at short intervals. I have seen a brown Patoo
taken by a negro boy in mid-day from a branch of a mango tree, with a
noose fastened to a short stick. It was young, but a flier. Its mother
came to look for it, and we caught her, and kept her some days. When
liberated she would not move off many yards from the house, but was
seen daily for a few weeks. When a prisoner it would eat cockroaches
thrown down to it, and if handled was cruel and spiteful, otherwise
quiet and apparently very gentle. There are plenty of them here. I
listen to their sulky _wow_, often in the watches of the night.”
Perhaps the present species may be “the small wood Owle” of Sloane, ii.
296.
+Fam.+—HIRUNDINIDÆ.—(_The Swallows._)