THE EUEOPEAN GOAT-SUCKER 



119 



Tliis fine bird is nearly thirteen inches in length, and in its habits resembles closely 

 the conimon Goa1>sucker of Europe. It is a nocturnal bird, as may Ijc gathered from its 

 generic title of Nyctibius, a word derived from the fireek, and signifying Night-li\'er. It 

 is stronger on tlie wing tlian the preceding birds, and is capable of chasing its insect prey 

 as tliey lly tlirough tlie air in the dusk of evening, or just before the dawn of morning. 

 In its outward form there is little to attract notice, and its colouring is the same as that 

 of its allies, excejjting that some dark bars extend across the head, neck, and lower parts. 

 It is a native of South America, and has been taken in Cayenne. 



There are many well-known proverljs relating to the power of calumny, and tlie 

 readiness with which an evil report is received and retained, notwitlistanding that it has 

 been repeatedly proved to 1)0 false and libellous. The connnon Goat-SUCKER is a good 

 instance of the truth of this remark, for it was called Aigotheles or (i oat-sucker by 

 Aristotle in the days of old, and has been religiously supposed to have sucked goats ever 

 afterwards. The Latin word caprimulgus bears the same signification. It was even 

 supposed that after tlie bird had succeeded in sucking some unfortunate goat, the fount of 

 nature was immediately dried ujj, and the poor beast also lost its sight. Starting from 



^^liig?- 



EUROPEAN GOAT-SUCKEE.— C'iy>r(»ni;(/iis Europaius. 



this report, all kinds of strange rumours flew about the world, and the poor Goat-sucker, 

 or Nightjar, as it ouglit more riglitly to be called, has been invariably hated as a bird of 

 ill omen to man and Ijcast. 



As usual, mankind reviles its best benefactors, for there are very few creatures whicli 

 do such service to mankind as the Nightjar. Arriving in this country in the month of 

 May or June, it readies our shores just in time to catch the cockchaffers, as they fly about 

 during the night in search of their food, and does not leave us untd. it has done its best 

 to eat every chaffer that comes across its path. 



The damage which is done by these brown-backed, white-ribbed, hook-tailed beetles is 

 almost incredible, for they are not only extremely destructive in their larval states, but are 

 scarcely less voracious when they have assumed their perfect form. Passing a life of 

 three years or so below the level of the ground, the larvte of the cockchaffer shear away 

 the grass-roots and other subterranean vegetation with their scissor-like jaws, and are 

 constantly busy in satiating tUe hunger of their huge stomaclis, which occupy nearly the 

 whole of the body of the grub. When they have passed through their earlier changes of 



