I 



water-spaniels, were to beat them over for a week, 

 they would certainly find more species. 



There is no bird whose manners I have studied 

 more than that of the caprimulgus (the goat-sucker) : 

 it is a wonderful and curious creature, but I have 

 always found that though sometimes it may chatter 

 as it flies, as I know it does, yet in general it utters 

 its jarring note sitting on a bough ; and I have for 

 many a half-hour watched it as it sat with its under 

 mandible quivering, and particularly this summer. 

 It perches usually on a bare twig, with its head 

 lower than its tail, in an attitude well expressed by 

 your draughtsman in the folio '' British Zoology." 

 This bird is most punctual in beginning its song 

 exactly at the close of day ; so exactly that I have 

 known it strike up more than once or twice just at 

 the report of the Portsmouth evening gun, which 

 we can hear when the weather is still. It appears to 

 me past all doubt that its notes are formed by or- 

 ganic impulse, by the powers of the parts of its 

 windpipe formed for sound, just as cats purr. You 

 will credit me, I hope, when I assure you that as my 

 neighbours were assembled in a hermitage on the 

 side of a steep hill, where we drink tea sometimes, 

 one of these churn-owls came and settled on the 

 cross of that little straw edifice and began to chat- 

 ter, and continued his note for many minutes ; and 

 we were all struck with wonder to find that the 

 organs of the little animal, when put in motion, gave 



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