94 



a chamber is formed by cutting out an oblong piece of turf, which 

 is then laid over the hole formed, in the opposite direction, so as 

 to be supported by its ends ; and two passages are also cut in the 

 turf leading into the chamber. Through these the birds run for 

 shelter at the least alarm ; but in the middle of the chamber a 

 small upright stick is placed supporting two running loops of horse 

 hair, so arranged that it is almost impossible for a bird to run 

 through the chamber without getting his neck into one of the 

 nooses. It is said one shepherd, with the assistance of his lad, 

 will attend from five to seven hundred of these snares. Mr. Johns 

 states that it was formerly the custom for persons who wanted a 

 dish of Wheatears to supply themselves from the traps, placing a 

 penny in every hole from which they took a bird ; but of late years 

 the influx of visitors to the neighbouring watering-places has so 

 much enhanced their value, that the shepherds will allow no such 

 interference. We once tried the experiment of releasing a bird and 

 depositing the penny in the trap, when, from a neighbouring 

 eminence we were assailed with such a torrent of abuse, that we 

 declined repeating the experiment. 



Instances have been recorded of this bird wintering in some of 

 the south-eastern counties ; and Gilbert White mentions that he 

 has seen a few stragglers at all times of the year, especially about 

 warrens and stone quarries. 



The next bird on my list is 



The Nightjar, Caprimulgus eurofeus, 

 which occurs on the borders of our mosses and commons, especially 

 those that are bordered with timber; also the open glades of some 

 of our woods, notably Barron Wood, the edge of High Stand, 

 Orton, Newby Cross, the outskirts of the White Moss, Bowness 

 and Wedholme Flows, and, nearer to hand, Rickerby ; some years 

 ago a pair used to frequent Kingmoor, but I have not seen or 

 heard them there these latter years. 



The Nightjar is commonly distributed in summer through Great 

 Britain and throughout Europe, ranging as far east as Central 



