CAPRIMULGID3]. "71 



sweeping swiftly rourid trees frequented by beetles and 

 moths, which it devours in great numbers. It frequently 

 emits a sort of whirring sound, resembling the noise made 

 by a spinning-wheel : hence it is known as the Wheel- 

 bird in some districts, and in others as the Night-charr^ 

 Night-jar, and Churn Owl. It is likewise called the 

 Night-haiuk, and the Dor-hawh, from its appetite for 

 night-flying beetles, called Dors ; and likewise the Fern 

 Owl, from its frequenting fern brakes. Tlie name Goat- 

 sucker is derived from its supposed habit of sucking the 

 milk of goats during the night, a false s\ispicion, which 

 has doubtless given the bird a bad character in the eyes 

 of farmers, whilst by the destruction of vast quantities of 

 'Cockchafers, it is, in reality, one of their best friends. 



"When the moon shines bright," says Mr. Watei-ton, 

 " you may have a fair opportunity of examining the 

 Goatsucker ; you wdll see it close by the cows, goats, and 

 sheep, jumping up every now and then under their bellies. 

 Approach a little nearer ; he is not shy : ' he fears no 

 danger, for he knows no sin.' See how the nocturnal 

 flies are tormenting the kine, and with what dexterity 

 he springs up and catches them as fast as they alight on 

 the belly, legs, and udders of the poor animals. Observe 

 how quietly they stand, and how sensible they seem of 

 his good offices ; for they neither strike at him, nor hit 

 him with their tail, nor tread on him, nor try to drive 

 him away as an uncivil intruder. Were you to dissect 

 him, and inspect his stomach, you w^ould find no milk 

 there ; it is full of the flies that have been annoying the 

 herd." Doubtless the same habit thus noted by Mr. 

 Waterton must have been observed by the ancients in 

 southern Europe, who, mistaking the object of the bird, 

 bestowed on it its vernacular name. 



The cries uttered by many species of these birds 

 are very peculiar. " A Goatsucker inhabits Demerara 

 (about the size of an English wood-owl), whose voice is 

 so remarkable that, when once heard, it is not easily to 

 be forgotten. A stranger would never believe it to be 

 the cry of a bird, but would say it was the departing 

 voice of a midnight-murdered victim, or the last wailing 

 of poor Niobe for her children, before she was turned to 

 stone. Suppose a person in hopeless sorrow, beginning 

 with a high loud note, ' ha, ha ; ha, ha ; ha, ha, ha ;' each 



