27G 



PASSIVES. BIHDS.- 



JAPKIMULGID.E. 



to be seen through it ; and, on the other hand, the eye 

 is too completely fixed in its orbit to be capable of 

 performing the singular movement, which would be 

 necessary to enable it to take any part in such an 

 unusual proceeding. 



The eggs of the Goatsucker are usually two in 

 number, of a white colour, clouded with bluish-grey. 

 They are deposited in a depression or cavity on the 

 surface of the ground under the shelter of a bush, 

 generally with scarcely any attempt at a nest. In this 

 country the eggs are deposited about the first week in 

 June. 



THE BOMBAY GOATSUCKER (Caprimulgus asiaticua). 

 Several species of the genus Caprimulgus are found 

 in India, and of these that called the Bombay Goat- 

 sucker by Latham is the commonest and most widely 

 distributed, occurring abundantly in all parts of the 

 peninsula. It also occurs in the Transgangetic countries. 

 In its habits it resembles our British species, sheltering 

 itself under hedges and bushes, and laying its eggs on 

 the ground without a nest. The eggs are pink, spotted 

 with brown. " The note of this species," according to 

 Mr. Jerdon, " resembles the sound of a stone scudding 

 on ice ;" and Mr. Elliott compares it with the words 

 tyook, tyook, tyool'. 



THE LARGE INDIAN GOATSUCKER (Caprimulgus 

 indicus), which is as widely distributed as the preceding 

 species, but far less abundant, is a large species of an 

 asli colour, with numerous transverse black lines, and 

 spotted with rusty red on the cheeks, breast, and wings. 

 The tail is banded with black. This bird is found 

 chiefly in the wooded districts of the Indian peninsula, 

 where it passes the day under the sheLer of the trees, 

 and comes forth into the open country in the evening 

 in pursuit of its prey. Its habits resemble those of the 

 European species, and its note is something like that of 

 the Bombay Goatsucker, being compared by Mr. Jerdon 

 to the syllables tew-yo-yo frequently repeated. 



THE COLLARED GOATSUCKER (Caprimulgus pec- 

 toralis), a native of the Cape of Good Hope, is dis- 

 tinguished by having an ash-coloured band on the 

 breast. During the breeding season, which commences 

 in the month of September, the male indulges in a 

 very loud and singular song, which he begins about an 

 hour after sunset, and often continues all night, if the 

 weather be fine and light. Le Vaillant says that when 

 he happened to encamp in the vicinity of these birds, 

 the incessant song of the male rendered it impossible 

 for him to sleep. The habits of the bird are very 

 similar to those of the European species ; the eggs are 

 deposited on the ground, frequently even in the midst 

 of a path, a custom which is not peculiar to the present 

 species. Both the male and the female sit upon the 

 eggs, and when thus engaged in an exposed situation 

 they will remain at their post until the wayfarer is on 

 the point of treading on them, when they rise almost 

 from under his feet. Notwithstanding the little care 

 which they seem to take to conceal their eggs, they are 

 very jealous of these treasures, and remove them 

 immediately on perceiving that they have been touched. 

 Le Vaillant states that this removal is effected by the 

 parents taking each an egg in their mouths, and flying 

 o!V with them. 



THE WHIP-POOR-WILL (Caprimulgus vocifcrus},on<3 

 of the commonest American species of this genus, in 

 found in most parts of the United States, where, how- 

 ever, it is a bird of passage, usually arriving from the 

 south towards the end of April, and departing for 

 its winter abode about the beginning of September. 

 It measures nine inches and a half in length, and 

 exhibits in its plumage a mixture of black, pale cream 

 colour, brown and rusty red, " sprinkled and powdered 

 in such minute streaks and spots," to borrow Wilson's 

 words, "as to defy description." The tail, which is 

 rounded, has the three outer feathers on each side 

 blackish brown for half their length, and the remainder, 

 to the tips, pure white ; the four middle feathers are 

 marked with herring-bone lines of black and yellow. 



The Whip-poor-will usually resorts to elevated and 

 dry situations, and is rarely seen or heard in low 

 marshy districts. Like the preceding Goatsuckers, it 

 is nocturnal in its habits, sitting close during the day 

 in the most retired and shady spots to be found in the 

 woods, or on the steep bushy banks of a creek or river. 

 When disturbed in the day time, it sails slowly through 

 the wood to a short distance, and then settles generally 

 on a low branch of a tree. At dusk these birds issue 

 from their concealment, and hawk about in the manner 

 of their European congener in pursuit of night-flying 

 insects ; they are also said by Wilson to feed upon 

 " grasshoppers, pismires, and such insects as frequent 

 the bark of old, rotten, and decaying timber." Their 

 note, which is emitted in the evening and night, espe- 

 cially during the breeding season, is described as 

 distinctly resembling the syllables whip-poor-will, the 

 first and last syllables being uttered with great emphasis, 

 and the whole occupying about a second in its emission 

 Between each repetition of the note a sort of cluck 

 may often be heard by a person in the immediate 

 vicinity of the bird ; and when two males meet, their 

 notes are reiterated rapidly and incessantly, as if each 

 were straining to overpower and silence the other. 

 Amongst the Indians this bird, from its nocturnal and 

 noiseless activity and its singular note, became the 

 object of some superstitious dread, in this respect 

 sharing the evil repute of the owl. With the white 

 settlers in the United States, however, the Whip-poor- 

 will appears to be rather a favourite ; for although 

 Wilson tells us that the shrill and confused clamours of 

 these birds, as evening draws on, are very surprising to 

 a stranger, he adds that " they soon become extremely 

 agreeable. The inhabitants lie down at night lulled by 

 their whistlings, and the first approaches of dawn are 

 announced by a general and lively chorus of the same 

 music ; while the full-toned tooting, as it is called, of 

 the pinnated grouse, forms a very pleasing bass to the 

 whole." 



The female begins to lay about the second week in 

 May, and, like her European relative, takes no trouble 

 in preparing a nest, but deposits her eggs either on the 

 bare ground or on a few dry leaves. She always 

 selects a dry situation, in the most sequestered part of 

 the wood. 



THE CHUCK- WILL'S- WIDOW (Caprimulgus caro- 

 linensis), is another American species, the somewhat 

 singular name applied to which has been derived from 



