644 CAPRIMULGUS EUROP^US. 



act as a comb, it may be said that its serrated edge will more 

 readily than a continuous edge catch hold of any thing stuck 

 between the bristles. This is likely enough ; but then the 

 species of the genus Podargus, or strong-billed Goatsuckers 

 have similar bristles, but are destitute of clefts in the claw. 

 Gannets, Herons, and other birds that have no bristles, yet 

 have a serrated claw. Therefore, the serrature is not intended 

 for the purpose of cleaning the bristles. Yet it may be quite 

 true that the Goatsucker uses its claw to produce that eftect. 

 But it is not less true that Parrots, Finches, and other birds, 

 having no such serrature, employ their claws for scratching the 

 parts about the head. And thus, another reason must be sought 

 for. 



The young Goatsucker has at first no serrature on its claw, 

 any more than the young Gannet. One, fully fledged, and shot 

 about the 10th of September, now before me, has the toe 

 scarcely half the length of that of an old bird, and with only 

 five teeth, the old bird having ten. The chinks in the young 

 bird''s claw are less deep than those in the claw of the old bird. 

 A young fledged Gannet shows the same circumstance. All 

 birds whose middle claw is serrated, have that claw elongated, 

 and furnished with a very thin edge. It therefore appears that 

 the serration is produced by the splitting of the edge of the claw, 

 after the bird has used it, but whether in consequence of pres- 

 sure caused by standing or grasping can only be conjectured. 

 The Flycatchers, and other birds of the same family, which 

 have strong bristles, intended for the same use, have not serrated 

 claws ; yet, if their bristles become clogged, they no doubt will 

 clean them in the same manner. It appears then, that the use 

 of the serrature is not that of cleaning from the bristles the scales 

 of lepidopterous insects, because fish-eating birds, without any 

 bristles, have similar serratures ; but there is no reason for 

 doubting that Goatsuckers brush away adherent matters with 

 their claws, just as other birds do, the domestic fowl for ex- 

 ample. 



Another supposition is that the serrature enables the Goat- 

 sucker to hold more securely a large insect which it has caught 

 with its foot. And observers have stated that thev have been 



