16 



HABITS OF BIRDS. 



this circumstance that they act the part of a comb, to 

 rid the bird of vermin in those parts which it cannot 

 reach with its bill*.'* With respect to the night-jars 

 Wilson gives a similar statement. His night-hawk, 

 for instance, he says, has its " middle claw pecti- 

 nated on its inner edge, to serve as a comb to clear 

 the bird of vermin f." Again he says, " the inner edge 

 of the middle claw of the whip-poor-will, another of 

 the night-jars, is pectinated ; and from the circum- 

 stance of its being frequently found with small por- 

 tions of down adhering to the teeth, is probably em- 

 ployed as a comb to rid the plumage of its head of 

 vermin, this being the principal and almost only part 

 so infested in all birds J." He further proves this in 

 the case of the Carolina night-jar, or chuck-will's- 

 widow, by actual observation of the fact ; speaking 

 of which species he says, " reposing much during 

 the heats of the day, they are much infested with 



Carolina Night-jar or Chuck-will's-widow. 



* Wilson, Amer. Ornith. vii. 110, 2d ed. 

 t Ibid. v. 70. I Ibid. v. 77. 



