280 THE FERN-OWL. 



it is what is termed reversible, that is, it can turn for- 

 wards, and act in concert with the other three, which 

 must be very convenient in catching such nimble things 



as moths ; but it has an- 

 other peculiarity, the 

 middle claw serrated or 

 toothed very much like 

 the Heron's, and for the 

 same purpose, that of pre- 

 venting the escape of quick 



Goatsucker's Foot. and aCti , .P 1 ?* ^ 



this peculiarity is intended 



for the purpose stated, may be inferred from some of 

 the largest species, in size almost equal to a Raven, being 

 without a serrated claw, and whose food has been ascer- 

 tained to consist of the fruit of the palm. Another use 

 has been also assigned to these toothed-claws, that of 

 enabling them to carry off their eggs, if disturbed : some 

 naturalists asserting that they have such a power, and 

 have been actually seen in the act of flight with eggs in 

 their claws ; but the fact has been denied by others. 

 That it is not impossible, however, even for birds with- 

 out such claws, to remove their eggs, we can vouch from 

 good authority ; for a Pheasant having laid her eggs* in 

 a fallow-field, became dissatisfied with her situation, and 

 removed them to a less frequented spot in the same field, 

 where she deposited them in another nest, which she had 

 previously scraped together. 



With all these united powers, swift and silent too in 

 flight as it is, no wonder that this bird makes such havoc 

 amongst the, to us nearly invisible, multitudes that peo- 

 ple the silent air on a summer's night. At twilight, it 

 may sometimes be seen at work, flitting about, hovering 

 now over one spot, then over another, occasionally drop- 

 ping or tumbling over, as if shot ; this is the moment, 

 when having seized a moth, the bird reaches it to its 

 mouth, and loses its balance, when again rising, it glides 

 away like a ghost, till lost in shade. We have but one 

 species visiting England, but in foreign countries there 



