The Bird that Whips Poor Will 



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Considering the fact that neither our North 

 American, the European nor the Asiatic night- 

 jars sport such appendages in the breeding-sea- 

 son or at any other time, the reason for their 

 existence in these scattered tropical species is a 

 problem which I, at least, cannot solve. It 

 would seem as though such extras, however 

 much enjoyed and proudly flourished by their 

 owners, would be more trouble and risk than 

 they were worth. Professor Poulton has elab- 

 orated a theory that long tails and fluttering 

 appendages such as these serve a purpose of 

 safety by tempting a pursuer to seize upon and 

 thereby lose the body of his quarry, because 

 they will easily break off or pull out; but why 

 should nature make elaborate preparations 

 to have a creature almost caught, (and then 

 maimed) in order to insure its safety? On the 

 other hand it is observable that these lengthened 

 wing-quills do retard and interfere with flight 

 (though long tail-feathers do not seem to do 

 so), and hence are really disadvantageous. 

 This may be one of nature's errors, tending to 

 the extinction rather than to the prosperity 



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