V°|-^'^^J Stray Feathers. I 73 



under the lee of the wall, making towards the beach. We could 

 trace it for a long way by its habit of frequently poking its head 

 above the surface, apparently to ascertain whether it was holding 

 a correct course. Presently it came again into the waters near 

 the extremity of the waU, and we were then witnesses to an ex- 

 tremely pretty spectacle. The bird lay upon the surface of the 

 summer sea, only a short distance away, preening its feathers and 

 rolling about, apparently enjoying life to the utmost. Sometimes 

 it would float upon its back, when the pure white plumage of the 

 breast and throat shone out in the sunlight in a very pleasing 

 manner. Then it would twist its head round about until the 

 throat looked like a broad white stripe down the back of the neck ; 

 after which it would set to work again preening its breast. For 

 quite a long while did we watch this thing of beauty floating away 

 to the eastward on the bosom of the tide, until lost to sight ; surely 

 in itself a sufficient answer to that much-vexed question " Is life 

 worth living ? " — H. Stuart Dove. W. Devonport (Tas.), 11/2/ 05. 

 * * * 



Note on ^gotheles nov.e-hollandle. Lath. — An interesting 

 fact in the economy of this pretty Nightjar was brought to my 

 notice one evening in the autumn of last year. When stepping on 

 the decking of a viaduct 80 yards long, which crosses a marsh on 

 this estate, I became aware of some object which precipitated 

 itself from the low kerb at the side of the roadway on to the planks 

 in front of me. As it was quite dusk, for the moment the object 

 seemed at first glance to be a young rabbit ; but in another second, 

 from the fluttering which characterized its movements, it could be 

 plainly seen that it was a bird. On my springing forward to catch 

 it, it fluttered along in front of me so quickly that capture was 

 impossible, and so the chase continued, first to one side of the 

 roadway then the other, until the end of the viaduct was reached, 

 where the decking was about 2 inches above the gravel approach, 

 that having been worn down by traffic. Here there was just light 

 enough to see the bird launch itself into the air and glide away 

 with the characteristic flight of the Caprimitlgidce. 



This incident shows that this species cannot, like some other 

 short-legged, long-winged birds, rise from a perfectly flat surface. 

 Frequent observations of members of this crepuscular family in 

 England and the East have shown me that as a rule Nightjars, 

 when alighting on the ground, choose a stone, clod, little bank, 

 stick, or other diminutive eminence from which they can launch 

 themselves. I have, however, seen the sturdy C. atripennis in 

 Ceylon often alight on a bare sandy track or hard road and rise 

 from such a position with ease. In the present instance fright, 

 no doubt, caused the little Mgotheles to launch itself from the 

 kerb log (6 inches high) beneath the hand-rails on to the roadway, 

 for the opposite hand-rails furnished it with a ready perch if so 

 desired. The wing in this species is particularly long in proportion 

 to the weak and diminutive leg, which accounts for its inability to 

 rise from a perfectly flat surface. — W. V. Legge. Cullenswood (Tas.) 



