THE FERN-OWL. 2/9 



for the capture of moths, namely, a kind of glutinous 

 liquid which exudes from the upper part of the bill, and 

 is so adhesive that small insects are retained by it, and 

 it is thus enabled to imprison and swallow a number of 

 them together; and what is still more singular, that, 

 although swallowed, they still continue to exist ; a fact 

 only lately, we believe, known, and discovered accidentally 

 by a person who, having one evening shot a Goat-sucker, 

 was surprised to see a moth come out of its mouth and 

 fly away ; and on opening the crop the next morning, it 

 was found to contain several other moths, which had 

 lived all night in this strange prison, and when released 

 ran about the table fluttering their wings. 



The Fera-Owl, or Goat-sucker. 



In the last place, its foot is doubly fitted for grappling 

 its volatile game. We give it in the annexed figure of 

 its natural size, not much larger, it will be seen, than 

 that, of a Sparrow, though the bird in size is little less 

 than a Pigeon. The hind claw is remarkably small, but 



