138 OUR RARER BIRDS 



poises over the grass, but you will never see him interfere 

 with the grazing cows. Gamekeepers too can never be con- 

 vinced that he is not a Hawk, and they shoot him down at 

 every opportunity. I once knew a gamekeeper who admitted 

 the perfect harmlessness of this charming bird, and whose 

 only excuse for shooting it on every occasion was because he 

 thought it " a nasty ugly beast, no good to anybody." And 

 this man would grow quite enthusiastic over the beauties of 

 bulldogs, and call ferrets pretty little things ! 



The Nightjar is not at all gregarious, but in districts 

 where it is common half a dozen may often be seen over one 

 expanse of bracken. It is possible that this bird mates for 

 life, as in spring it appears in its summer haunts in pairs, 

 and may be so observed during the whole time of its stay. 

 The Nightjar is active and graceful enough in the air, but 

 when on the ground is comparatively helpless. Its short 

 legs make it walk with difficulty, so that when it once alights, 

 it generally remains stationary until ready to fly again. 

 Much difference of opinion and more controversy have arisen 

 over the serrated middle claw of the Nightjar. Some 

 naturalists aver that this comb-like claw is used in capturing 

 prey ; others have affirmed that it is employed in combing 

 out the long stiff rictal bristles and to rid its plumage of 

 parasites ; whilst one or two writers have gone so far as to 

 assert that it is of service to the bird when sitting length-wise 

 on the branches. It may be used for all these purposes ; but 

 I consider it extremely doubtful that such is the case, and 

 am much more inclined to look upon this serrated claw as the 

 rudiments of a structure which was once of service to the 

 Nightjar or its ancestors. Several other species of birds, very 

 remotely allied to the Nightjar, as, for instance, the Heron, 

 also possess this peculiarity, which I am disposed to look 

 upon as being now in a very deteriorated stage of develop- 

 ment through disuse. 



