EUROrEAN GOATSUCKER. 039 



" The Goatsucker visits us annually, but the precise time of its 

 arrival is not very easily marked, and the same may be said of 

 its departure. As it bears some analogy to the Swift, whose 

 arrival and departure are almost certain to a day, one would 

 have thought a similar precision w^ould have been discovered 

 in the Goatsucker. Thus, most of the Swifts retire by the 

 middle of August, and I have never seen a single specimen 

 later than the 10th of September ; but the Goatsucker lingers 

 with us until the day and night are equal. Thus, on the 24th 

 of that month, in 1839, I had brought to me a fine male, which 

 was killed early that morning six miles south of Leicester ; 

 and Mr Pickard, a bird-stuffer of this town, had two brought 

 to him about the same time. In June 1837, I remained out 

 all night in the grounds of Shugborough Park, Staffordshire, 

 for the express purpose of finding out if possible the use of the 

 pectinated claw of this bird ; but I am unable to give any new 

 fact relative to this subject, either from that attempt, or from 

 any subsequent research. In the summer of 1839, I took 

 several trips for the same purpose, and did not leave the haunts 

 of this nocturnal wanderer until the ruddy streaks of the east 

 announced the approach of day. I belicA'e the supposed ven- 

 triloquism of this bird is produced by its moving its head about 

 in the same manner as the Grasshopper Warbler, that is, when 

 the note proceeds from it when in a sitting or perching posture. 

 About half-past ten o'clock, in the evening of the 8th of June 

 last, I had a good opportunity of verifying this observation. 

 The weather was fine, the sky without a cloud. Nearly all the 

 diurnal birds had slunk to rest, and every tuneful voice M^as 

 hushed save the loud mellow note of the Blackbird, the mono- 

 tonous cry of the Cuckoo, and the clmrr-churr of the Partridge, 

 brought by the gentle breeze upon the awakened ear ; when, 

 lo ! as I was wandering by the side of one of the lofty stone 

 walls in Bradgate Park, a Fern Owl came and perched directly 

 beside me, and began to trill away his note. The bird being 

 projected as it were against the twilight of the west, I could 

 discern the movements of his head ; and just in accordance 

 with them were the difl'crcnt sounds that canic upon the ear. 

 Now, this variation of sound is most certainly attributable to 



