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A PLEA FOE THE OWL. 

 [By E. Cambrtdge Phillips, F.L.S., M.B.O.U., M.P.I.O.C] 



My friend Mr. Bishop has ably advocated in his letter to the Hereford Times 

 the cause of this useful bird. In doing so, however, he has committed the grave 

 mistake of considering the Night-jar, Goat-sucker, or rern-owl (Caprimulgus 

 europceus) an owl, and placing it in that family ; and, as doubtless his letter has 

 by this time been read by many young naturalists, I hope, in the interests of 

 science, he will forgive me for correcting him. 



The Night-jar, properly so-called, is not an Owl at all, and belongs to a 

 totally different order — that of the Insessores or perching birds, and to the family 

 of Caprimulgidse or Goat-suckers. It is a summer migrant, dispersed generally 

 throughout the whole of the British Islands. It is also called the Goat-sucker, 

 from the absurd idea that it sucks goats ; and Fern-Owl, from its flying and 

 feeding at night on our fern-clad hills. But here all likeness to the Owl family 

 ceases. It is well known to naturalists in Wales, and is a beautiful bird, feeding 

 exclusively on night insects, such as moths, beetles, cockchafers, &c., and is, in 

 fact, the swallow of the night. Its evolutions in its flight when it is hawking, if 

 I may use the expression, for its food, are perfectly wonderful ; turning, gliding, 

 and circling in the most graceful manner, and in the utmost silence, except when 

 uttering its weird, jarring cry, that, once heard, can never be forgotten. This 

 cry is usually uttered as the bird sits lengthways on a branch, and it is said that 

 it never sits crossways. 



Nature, in her never-erring bounty, has provided the Night-jar with a very 

 large mouth with which to take its food. Several strong bristles project down- 

 wards from the edge of the upper mandible, forming, when the bird opens its 

 mouth, a perfect insect trap ; and, in order to clear its mouch and its bristles from 

 the various portions of insects that may adhere to them, it has its middle toe 

 furnished with a pectinated (not a serrated) claw. Anyone seeing this perfect 

 little comb-like appendage cannot, I think, fail to come to the above conclusion 

 concerning this claw, although some naturalists have advanced other theories. I 

 may state also that the heron (Ardea cinerea) has a serrated claw, used, no doubt 

 for the same purpose in removing fish scales. 



The good that the Night-jar must do as an insect killer is incalculable, and, as 

 such, it deserves the utmost protection. It is common in this county, Breconshire 

 and many times have I had it brought to me as a great rarity, and have had the 

 greatest trouble in convincing the bringer that he might see it any calm summer 

 night, particularly in heathy places, if he only had the patience to look for it. 

 I cannot, however, understand its being taken for a woodcock, its flight and 

 shape being very unlike that of the long-billed bird. 



I omitted to state that some have supposed that it captures its prey with 

 its claws, but in my opinion it does so on the wing, flying along with its open 



