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bristles round the mouth from the remains of its food, and also 

 for removing vermin ; others maintain that it assists the bird in its 

 peculiar way of perching. In that charming work, The Natural 

 History of Selhorne, Gilbert White mentions having "seen the Night- 

 hawk put out its short leg when on the wing, and by a bend of the 

 head, deliver something into its mouth. If it takes any part of its 

 prey with its foot — as I have now the greatest reason to suppose it 

 does — I no longer wonder at the use of its middle toe, which is 

 curiously furnished with a serrated claw." Yarrell also quotes an 

 instance of its doing so. This action of the bird has never come 

 under my observation, although I have seen the Great Tit capture 

 bees in the same manner. I should not like to give an opinion 

 on the use of this peculiar toe : it can only be solved by patient 

 and careful observation. I am only sorry that my position prevents 

 me from devoting more time to the elucidation of this point. The 

 time is so short between twilight and dark, that it would require 

 one to live on the spot and watch for favourable opportunities. 



Mr. Weir, a well known observer, relates a striking fact about 

 this bird, he says : — "About half-past nine one evening, in the 

 month of July, while I was walking through a large plantation of 

 oak, a pair of Nightjars flew again and again around me, and within 

 a few yards of my head. I shot the male. At eleven o'clock, as I 

 had just arrived at the door of my house, an acquaintance who 

 was passing by enquired of me what kind of bird I had in my 

 hand. After telling him its name, he said he was anxious to 

 examine it. I lighted a candle, and upon opening its mouth he 

 started, exclaiming that it was not yet dead. No wonder he 

 thought so, for in its mouth there were no fewer than four large 

 moths, three of which were still alive." As if in confirmation of 

 this, an ornithological friend of mine who lives in Kent wrote me, 

 that on the evening of the i8th June he shot a pair of Goatsuckers 

 for the purpose of stuffing, which he proceeded to do the following 

 evening. On skinning the first the crop contained eleven moths, 

 some of whom were still alive; the crop of the other bird contained 

 two cockchaffers and the remains of moths and small beetles. 



In some seasons the cockchaffer beetle is very destructive, 



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