EUROPEAN GOATSUCKER. 393 



\Ve have now reached the more truly fissiros- 

 tral families, characterized by their wide gape 

 and amply developed organs of flight, birds 

 which seize their prey entirely on the wing, and 

 which seldom settle, except for temporary rest. 

 These in Britain are the Swallows and Night-jars, 

 each possessing representatives in our list. 



The Night-jars, Caprimulgidce, are, with we 

 believe a single exception, nocturnal birds, are 

 nearly all insectivorous, hunting their prey by 

 twilight, and having their plumage constructed 

 on the plan of that of the owls, which possess a 

 soft and noiseless flight, and blended shades of 

 unobtrusive colouring. Several genera are known, 

 the British form ranks in 



CAPRIMULGUS, Linn. Generic characters. 

 Bill very small and weak, dilated at the 

 base ; rictus very ample and furnished with 

 strong bristles ; wings with the second quill 

 slightly longest ; tarsi short, feet weak, 

 lateral toes equal, claw of the centre pec- 

 tinated. 



Type. C. Europeus. 



Europe, Asia, Africa, America. Breed on the 

 ground, and feed by night ; plumage soft. 



CAPRIMULGUS EUROPEUS, EUROPEAN GOAT- 

 SUCKER. (7. Europeus, Linn. Common or 

 European Goatsucker, Night Hawk, or Night 



