80 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



the family, and, on the other hand, assimilate so closely to 

 those of the smaller Owls, that the English name of Owlet 

 Nightjar has been assigned to it. 



Dming the day the bird resorts to the hollow branches or 

 spouts as they are called, and the boles of the gum-trees, sally- 

 ing forth as night approaches in quest of insects, particularly 

 small Coleoptera. Its flight is straight, and not characterized 

 by the sudden turns and descents of the Caprimidgi. On 

 driving it from its haunts I have sometimes observed it to fly 

 direct to a similar hole in another tree, but more frequently 

 to alight on a neighbouring branch, perching across and never 

 parallel to it. When assailed in its retreat it emits a loud 

 hissing noise, and has the same stooping motion of the head 

 observable in the Owls ; it also resembles that tribe of birds 

 in its erect carriage, the manner in which it sets out the 

 feathers round the ears and neck, and in the power it 

 possesses of turning the head in every direction, even over 

 the back, a habit it is constantly practising. A pair I had 

 for some time in captivity frequently leapt towards the top of 

 the cage, and had a singular mode of running or shuffling 

 backwards to one corner of it. 



While traversing the woods, the usual mode of ascertaining 

 its presence is by tapping with a stone or a tomahawk at the 

 base of the hollow trees, when the little inmate will almost 

 invariably ascend to the outlet and peep over to ascertain the 

 cause of disturbance. If the tree be lofty or its hole inac- 

 cessible, it will frequently retire again to its hiding-place, and 

 there remain until the annoyance be repeated, when it flies 

 ofl" to a place of greater security. In these holes, without 

 forming any nest, it deposits its eggs, which are four or five 

 in number, perfectly white, nearly round, and about one inch 

 and a line in length and eleven lines in breadth. At least 

 two broods are reared by each pair of birds during the year. 

 I have known the young to be taken in Tasmania in October, 

 and in New South Wales I have procured eggs in January. 



