284 CAPRIMULGID^E. 



out its foot, with which it seizes and conveys them to its 

 mouth with great deliberation : probably its serrated claw 

 may assist this operation." Other uses have been assigned 

 to this pectinated claw, namely, to comb out the hairs 

 set along the upper edge of the mouth on each side, or to 

 clear the delicate edges and angles of the mouth from the 

 sharp hooks on the legs of insects, while some have sup- 

 posed they are supplied to rid the birds of vermin. 



The Nightjar makes little or no nest, but under the 

 shelter of a bush takes advantage of any slight depression 

 in the ground, in which she deposits two eggs, which are 

 generally laid during the first week in June. The eggs are 

 nearly oval in form, beautifully clouded and veined with 

 bluish grey on a white ground ; the length one inch two 

 lines, by ten lines and a half in breadth. The young are 

 at first covered with down, they are not difficult to rear 

 when taken, and I have known them to be kept through 

 their first winter ; but those I have had opportunities of 

 observing never attempted to feed themselves. 



The Nightjar is common in most of the southern counties 

 of England, particularly in Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hamp- 

 shire, Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, and westward to Cornwall, 

 especially in all the uninclosed wooded parts of these coun- 

 ties. Its occurrence in South Wales has been already re- 

 ferred to. Mr. Thompson sends me word that it is a con- 

 stant summer visitor to certain localities in Ireland, and of 

 rare but of occasional occurrence in other parts. It is a 

 common bird in Cumberland and Westmoreland, and ac- 

 cording to Mr. Hawkeridge it inhabits the sea-coast about 

 Scarborough ; and though not uncommon in several parts 

 of Scotland, Mr. Dunn could not hear of it in Orkney, and 

 only saw one example in Shetland, which was considered a 

 very great curiosity. Miiller and M. Nilsson include it 

 among the Birds of Denmark and Scandinavia. Pennant, 



