ON THE NIGHTJAR. 33 



the other weak, anJ merely a succession of "chucks." Last evening I heard 

 them for nearly a quarter of an hour; I saw them skim from a barley field 

 over the end of our orchard. They were not a very large bird, and flew 

 but seldom higher than the hedge, which was rather more than six feet 

 high. I have early in the morning searched for them, but as yet they are 

 uiilcnovn to rns; for I believe the Xightjar makes his appearance in the 

 morning twilight as well as in the evening. The regularity of their turning 

 out for food convinces me they are birds of a very retired nature, for in the 

 day they are not seen nor heard by me, though I have endeavoured to trace 

 them.— May 19 th., 1853. 



1 am fully certified now, that the evening cries I have previously noted, 

 are those of the Nightjar. I have several times seen them skimming 

 over the field even after nine o clock; and several who have heard 

 theuj, assure me I am correct. I only wanted to discover a nest, or to 

 have a bird brought me; and in this I had hitherto failed. But on the 

 evening of June 8th., as a gentleman, rather late, after an evening's amuse- 

 ment in rat-shooting, was about to fire his gun for replacing it, unloaded, 

 in the house; he fired at a bird suddenly darting by, and instantly brought 

 it to the ground, but unfortunately minus its tail. It was a fine specimen, 

 otherwise, of the Nightjar, in full plumage; and in the opinion of the person 

 who shot it, was winging its way from Bawburgh Hangings (or Hanger;) a 

 spot from its very cool and retired sheltering foliage, peculiarly adapted as 

 the retreat of such a bird. I have searched for a nest, but have failed in 

 securing such a desired specimen. The gentleman who brought it down, has 

 known for many years this bird to abound in the neighbourhood of Webbourne, 

 in Norfolk. Though I am not certified as to these birds coming from our 

 Hangings to our Hill, a distance in a direct line of a lengthy mile; yet I 

 am sure that in our village the Nightjar has a home^ and may be classed 

 among our visitants henceforth. 



I scarcely fail any evening hearing and seeing them, as they skim round 

 the fields, seldom rising higher than the hedges, gathering Moths and other 

 Bocturaal insects. It is a shy, close, retired, bird; very rapid on the wing, and 

 from its cry and action of toying, now high as the hedge, now on the surface 

 of the field, then circling round its mate; I conclude it is a very afiectionate 

 bird.— J'une 10th., 1853. 



On Saturday morning, June 18th., (the first aniversary of Waterloo, since 

 the decease of the honoured Duke,) I was obliged, from necessary preparations 

 to be made for my taking that day a long journey by rail, to be up early. 

 Having retired with this impression, I necessarily had a rather restless night, 

 and was awake at a very early hour, for at twenty minutes before two, I heard 

 very beautifully, as I threw open my window, the glad music of the skylark, 

 offering to its great Preserver a rich tribute of thanks; whilst busy and 

 listening to the Lark, the long desired evidence was mine, relative to the 

 Nightjar. I heard its cry, and saw the playful flight of a pair of these bird.«. 



