98 A BOOK OF BIRDS 



Two creamy white eggs, marbled and veined with brown and lilac, 

 are laid, and these are deposited on the bare ground of some heath. 

 The food of this bird consists entirely of large insects. During flight 

 the wings are sometimes brought sharply together over the back, 

 giving rise to a loud clap. 



The Nightjar is even more commonly known as the " Goat- 

 sucker," from its supposed habit of sucking the milk of goats and 

 cows — a ridiculous superstition, having no foundation in fact. 



Our Nightjar winters in Africa, and is also to be found in Asia 

 Minor, Palestine, Persia, Turkestan and Afghanistan, and North- 

 western India. 



America is much richer in Nightjars than is Great Britain, and 

 of these, the North American " Whip-poor-will," and the '* Night- 

 hawk " {Chordeiles virginianus) are the best known. 



THE SWIFTS 



The Swifts bear a close superficial resemblance to the Swallows 

 (see page 113), with which, indeed, they are always associated in the 

 popular mind. As a matter of fact, however, they are in no way 

 related, the Swifts being near allies of the Nightjars. They are 

 long-winged birds, have tremendous powers of flight, and extremely 

 short legs, so much so that it is only with extreme difficulty that 

 they can rise from level ground. 



One of the best known of the group is the Common Swift (Plate 

 XXI. fig. 2), a bird which occurs in abundance in Great Britain during 

 the summer months, adding greatly to the charm of this season 

 by the wild screams it utters as it races along, now near the 

 ground, now high in air, as if mad with the joy of living. The Swifts 

 come to us in April, and leave again in August or the early days of 

 September. Like the Nightjars, they are entirely insect-feeders, 

 catching their prey while on the wing. 



This bird, which is known also as the " Deviling," occurs all over 

 Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa. Occasionally Great Britain 

 is visited by a very much larger species — the Alpine Swift. 



The so-called '* Chimney-swallow " of Eastern North America 

 is really a Swift. Ranging north in summer to Labrador and the 

 fur countries, it extends to the south of the United States in winter. 



