iSSg-go-] Stray Notes on the Birds of Anglesca. 367 



resembles the colours of a moth, and from its combination 

 of tints is most admirably adapted for screening purposes, as 

 when squatted flat on the ground among heather, brushwood, 

 or bracken, they may 'be passed within a few feet unnoticed. 

 So remarkably close, indeed, do they lie during the day, that 

 one almost treads upon them before they will rise ; and on 

 several occasions, while wandering through a straggling sort of 

 covert, at a place pronounced " "Voty," divers pairs flew up so 

 suddenly under foot as to be rather trying to the nerves from 

 the unexpectedness of their appearance. ISTight-jars seldom 

 make any noise until evening arrives, and when they do 

 deviate from the usual rule the sound is not so loud, and 

 seems only to be uttered in a half-hearted way, very different 

 from their bold efforts at night, about which something falls 

 to be said later on. The wings are long and pointed, giving 

 the bird somewhat the appearance of a hawk, and the flight 

 is almost absolutely noiseless, like that of an owl, save when 

 they crack their wings over their back, like the tame pigeons 

 known as " smiters." This latter performance seems to be 

 resorted to when disturbed from their perch, and may be a 

 means of venting their annoyance at intrusion; yet they cannot 

 be said to be timid, as they fly within a few feet of one's head, 

 and will often alight upon a tree or wall in close proximity 

 to human beings. Their hawk-like and owl-like resemblance 

 when flying has been the means of giving them a bad reputa- 

 tion among a certain class to whom the preservation of game 

 is the summuvi loimvi of life ; consequently for many years 

 they were subjected to persecution as destroyers of young 

 pheasants, &c. But of all the baseless and absurd notions ever 

 indulged in, or made the vehicle of useless destruction, this 

 is surely one of the weakest and least defensible, as night-jars 

 are utterly incapable of injuring game, unless cockchafers 

 and moths can be designated as coming under that category. 

 Their food consists almost entirely of the last mentioned, 

 besides other insects that appear in the evening. The mouth 

 when opened is so big as to be capable of swallowing entire 

 large nocturnal beetles, one of which you will observe accom- 

 panies the specimen here exhibited. This was found in his 

 stomach, and from its perfect state must have been newly 

 caught before the bird was shot. The sides of the mouth are 



