EUROPEAN GOATSUCKER, 635 



reach to about an inch from the end of the tail, which is long, 

 and considerably rounded. The second quill is nearly a quar- 

 ter of an inch longer than the third, and the middle tail- 

 feathers nearly half an inch longer than the lateral. 



The bill and claws are dusky ; the feet flesh-coloured, the 

 iris brown. The general colour of the upper parts is ash-grey, 

 minutely dotted and undulated with dusky, and variegated 

 with brownish-black and pale yellowish-red, the head and back 

 being marked with elongated spots of the former colour. The 

 quills and tail-feathers are similai-, but the outer webs of the 

 primaries are chiefly dusky, with irregular yellowish spots, 

 and on the inner webs of the outer three is a large roundish 

 white spot. The two lateral tail-feathers on each side have 

 also a large patch of white at the end. The lower parts are 

 transversely barred with dull reddish-yellow and dusky, the 

 latter predominating on the breast and fore-neck. On the throat 

 are some white feathers. The bristles of the mouth are black. 



Length to end of tail 11 inches, extent of wings 23 ; bill 

 along the ridge y|, lower mandible along the edge l^^j, ; wing 

 from flexure 7| ; tail 5f ; tarsus ^^ ; first toe j^, its claw 

 J I ; second toe /^, its claw /^ ; third toe j%, its claw y | ; 

 fourth toe j%, its claw j%. 



Female. — The female is smaller than the male, which it 

 however resembles in colour, but wants the white spots on the 

 quills and tail-feathers, and has the lower parts more yellow. 



Length to end of tail lOi inches, extent of wings 21^ ; 

 wing from flexure 7i ; tail 5^ ; bill along the ridge y|. 



Habits. — Interesting in many respects as are the habits of 

 all the feathered denizens of our woods and wastes, those of the 

 bird which now engages our attention are peculiarly so, on ac- 

 count of the diflUculty of observing them, and the mystery with 

 which the darkness of night and the fancy of philosophers have 

 invested it. ^Vere its happiness dependent upon the esteem of 

 the world, or the correctness of the opinions formed regarding 

 it, the Nightjar would indeed lay claim to the sympathy of the 

 benevolent. The ancients accused it of injuring the teats of 



