THE NIGHT-JAR. 



though far from a timid bird, he usually 

 alights on the ground, hardly perching on 

 a tree, I think, except to utter his love-call. 

 When he does perch, it is always lengthwise 

 to the bough, not crosswise, as is the fashion 

 with most other birds ; he seems afraid of 

 falling ; and then, this position also assorts 

 better with his passionate attitude of craning 

 expectancy as he leans forward on the 

 branch to summon his helpmate. If you 

 disturb him from the ground, he rises with 

 flapping wings in an awkward and noisy 

 way, bringing his pinions together above 

 his body, somewhat after the lapwing's 

 fashion ; but when he hawks on the open 

 after flies, with his big mouth agape, his 

 long arcs of flight are equable, swift, and 

 graceful. Night-jars are fearless beasts ; 

 they rear their young in the open, without 

 pretence or concealment. The two veined 

 and marbled eggs are laid boldly in some 

 hard patch among the brake and gorse, on 

 the bare ground, without a nest of any sort ; 



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