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THE BIRDS OF COOKHAM AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. 151 
Fam. CAPRIMULGIDE. 
Caprimulgus. 
17. Caprimulgus europeeus. The Common Nightjar. 
As early as March 8rd this year (1867) a Goatsucker, as the 
bird is more commonly called, was shot at Cookham Dean, and 
sent to Mr. Briggs for my collection. This was considered by 
him to be considerably earlier than usual, and in my opinion is 
very remarkable, as they generally are first seen about May, 
which is also the date of their arrival given in John’s British 
Birds in their Haunts. About Formosa they are by no means 
uncommon, and all round Mr. Burrow’s grounds, at the Elms, 
they may be seen towards the dusk of the evening. They are 
very fond of sitting on a railing which runs across one of his 
fields, and as we go through the lane which skirts the bottom of 
it, a Nightjar often flaps over the hedge on one side and 
disappears over the opposite hedge on the other side of the road. 
Mr. Briggs says he has often seen them settle in the road, and 
when disturbed, fly along about a foot from the ground, making 
a flapping noise, but whether this is caused by the bird striking 
its wings together over its back or underneath its breast, he has 
not yet been able to determine. We have not found the Nightjar 
breeding in the neighbourhood, though at Billing-bear Mr. 
Briggs tells me he frequently found the nest. I may add that 
the bird has been also observed by him at Formosa this year very 
much later than usual, as he saw them in September. 
Fam. Mrroriwz. 
Merops. 
18. Merops apiaster. The Bee-eater. 
In the summer of 1866 a Bee-eater made its appearance at 
_Dropmore, on the estate of the Hon. G. Fortescue, and attracted 
the notice of Mr. Frost, the head gardener. For several days it 
continued on the grounds, taking up its position on a bare branch 
over a wasps’ nest, and from this position it made shert flights to 
catch any of the insects as they approached or left the nest. Mr. 
Frost, to his great credit, would ofi tio account have the bid 
