314 



GOAT-SUCKEKS. 



may be distinguished by the under surface of the body, which is fawn 

 instead of white. 



GOAT-SUCKERS. 



With the owls closes the history of those birds which are called pre- 

 daceous, although to a considerable extent nearly all birds are somewhat 

 predaceous, even if they prey upon smaller victims than do the vultures, 

 eagles, falcons, or owls. Next to the predaceous birds come the passeres, 

 distinguished by their cereless and pointed beak, their legs feathered 

 as far as the heel, their tarsus covered in front with shield-like scales, 

 and their slightly-curved and sharply-pointed claws. This order is a 

 very large one, and embraces a vast variety of birds. 



First among the Passerine birds are placed the Fissirostres, or cleft- 

 beaked birds, so called from the enormous gape of the mouth, a structure 



which is intended to aid 

 them in the capture of the 

 agile prey on which they 

 feed. 



The Goat-suckers, as 

 they are familiarly termed 

 — from a stupid notion that 

 was formerly in gTeat vogue 

 ami)ng farmers, and is not 

 even yet quite extinct, that 

 these birds were in the habit 

 of sucking the wild goats, 

 cows, and sheep — are placed 

 first among the Fissiros- 

 tres on account of the won- 

 derfully perfect manner in 

 which their structure is 

 adapted to the chasing and 

 securing of the swift-wing- 

 ed insects on which they 

 feed. The color of all 

 these birds is sombre, 

 black, brown, and gray 

 being the prevailing tints. 

 The gape of the mouth is 

 so large that when the bird 

 opens its beak to its fullest 

 extent, it seems to have been severely wounded across the mouth, and 

 the plumage is lax and soft like that of the owl. 



There are many well-known proverbs relating to the power of 



The Night-hawk or Goat-sucker 



{Caprimulgus), 

 1. Male. 2. Female. 



