103 



FAMILY CAPRIMULGID.E.— GENUS CAPRIMULGUS. 



NIGHTJAR. 



Capeimulgus eukop^us, Liniifeus. 



Local Names — Niijlit-hau'li, Flijiii;/ Toad. 



One of the latest arrivals among the summer mi- 

 grants, coming in May after the Swifts, and going in 

 August ; not being seen after that month, except in 

 rare instances. It ^Yas once common on all the South 

 Lancashire mosses, but is now only found on the more 

 secluded ones, and where the character of these is suit- 

 able, and clumps of timber dot the heathy spaces, it 

 breeds regularly. In the more northern parts of the 

 county it shows greater partiality for the higher ground, 

 and there it oftener frequents the woods on the low fells, 

 becoming numerous in some parts of Furness. If dis- 

 turbed during the day it is very languid in its move- 

 ments, and I have seen it on the sand-hills of the coast 

 so drowsy as almost to allow of capture by the hand. 

 It does not rouse itself fairly till after sunset, and in 

 June only commences to "jar " towards half-past nine, 

 continuing to do so till about midnight, and hovering 

 about in its butterfly-like flight in pursuit of the night- 

 flying moths. At such times, too, it is very confiding, 

 and will flit about within a yard of the observer, seem- 

 ingly quite regardless of his presence. It lays two eggs, 

 which are placed side by side on the bare ground among 

 the heather, and begins to sit al)out the 10th of June. 

 Mr. N. Greening says {Xat. Scrap Book, pt. 9) that on 

 the mosses near Warrington he has seen it feign a 

 broken wing in order to entice intruders from the 

 vicinity of its nest. 



