95 



Africa. As a rule it generally arrives in this locality in the middle 

 of May ; but the late T. C. Heyshara records having seen one 

 here in the middle of April. It breeds sparingly with us in this 

 district, and rejoices in innumerable local names — in fact more 

 than any other bird I know of. In some places it is known as the 

 Goatsucker, from the ridiculous notion that it sucks goats and 

 cows, and there are still in this county people who swear that they 

 have seen it do so. No doubt cattle when lying down, especially 

 near the outskirts of woods, disturb innumerable insects, and 

 possibly they have seen the Nightjar hawking about the cattle, 

 which lead them to think so. It is a preposterous name, as it is 

 utterly impossible for the bird to do anything of the kind, owing to 

 the construction of its beak. Other local names for this bird are 

 Fern Owl, Fern Chafer, Goat Wheeler, Nightchurr Owl, Gnathawk, 

 Mothcatcher, Wheelbird, Dorhawk, Evejar, Churn Owl, Puckeridge, 

 and Nighthawk, which is its common name in Cumberland. 



Anyone taking a country stroll in the sweet summer time, as the 

 shades of evening are closing in, especially where these birds 

 frequent, cannot but have been struck by their curious jarring 

 note, which has been compared to that of an old fashioned spinning 

 wheel; it is given uninterruptedly, a continuous vibratory jar, first 

 in a higher pitch and then in a lower, and increases and diminishes 

 in loudness. I have timed it by my watch to continue for a minute 

 and a half without stopping. Mr. Bell says it is so like the croak 

 of the Natterjack Toad, that he has more than once doubted 

 from which of the two the sound proceeded. I am pretty well 

 acquainted with the croak of this rare and handsome reptile, yet 

 for my own part I can distinguish no similarity. The sound is 

 also very deceptive : it appears to come first from one part of the 

 tree, and then from another, and yet the bird was within a stone 

 throw all the time. This seeming ventriloquism is caused simply 

 by the bird turning its head in different directions ; — the same 

 applies to the Grasshopper Warbler and the Corncrake — I have 

 noticed this in all three birds. 



The Nightjar when perched is very diflficult to see ; its colour 

 harmonises so well with the boughs, and he does not sit across th^ 



