378 CAPRIMULGID.E. 



The Nightjar or Goatsucker* is the only representative 

 among our native birds of a very interesting and well- 

 characterized Family, which inhabits almost all parts of the 

 world, and has some alliance with that last treated, though 

 the difference between the Cypselidcs and the Caprimidgidce 

 is so marked, that no doubt has ever been entertained as to 

 their separation being warranted. The habit of taking their 

 insect-food on the wing is indeed possessed by both groups 

 in common with the Swallows and some other birds ; but with 

 nearly all the Nightjars this habit is nocturnal or crepuscu- 

 lar, and, being correlated with many peculiarities of external 

 structure and form, is sufficient to render their determination 

 easy, apart from the presence of many internal characters. 



The Nightjar is a summer- visitant to Britain, and, like 

 most of the species included in that category, it comes to us 

 from Africa. It is ordinarily one of the latest to arrive, and 

 seldom reaches this country before the middle of May, com- 

 monly departing about the middle of September. Capt. 

 Hadfield, however, records (Zool. p. 6977) his having seen 

 one in the Isle of Wight February 19th, 1860, and Mr. Gat- 

 combe informed Mr. Harting (Summer Migrants, p. 204) 

 of its appearance near Plymouth April 10th, 1872, while 

 Montagu mentions having shot one in Devonshire, Novem- 

 ber 8th, 1805, and Couch says one was killed in Cornwall, 

 November 27th, 1821.! 



The Nightjar commonly frequents moors and heaths, 

 especially such as are diversified by patches of fern, as well 

 as woods and plantations, most usually resting on the ground. 

 If disturbed it will often fly to a high tree, should one be 

 near, and then, on being cautiously approached, it may be 

 found crouching on a branch, not sitting athwart, as most 



* The absurdity of this common name, which has its equivalent in most 

 European tongues — both ancient and modern, nowadays needs no shewing, but 

 the absurdity was not so great as that of the notion entertained by some writers 

 that the bird directed its course by looking through the roof of its mouth, which, 

 to that end, was so thin as to be transparent ! 



+ The Editor, when a boy, was told by a woodman at Elveden of his having, 

 many years before, flushed a Nightjar from her eggs on the 2d November, of 

 which date the finder felt sure by its being his birthday. 



