THE yiGHT-JAR. 15 



Woods, plantations,, moors,, heaths, and places where 

 ferns and undergrowth abound, are the favourite resorts of 

 the Night- jar ; and in country places the belated wayfarer 

 may now and then catch a glimpse of it, as it glides 

 across his path or sweeps along the dusky highway in 

 pursuit of food. 



The Night-jar builds no nest, but lays its eggs on the 

 open ground of some copse or wood, which they generally 

 resemble so closely as to be distinguished with difficulty. 

 Only two eggs are laid, about the beginning of June ; 

 they are perfectly oval, of a whitish ground, with delicate 

 veins and markings of bluish-grey and pink, and rather 

 more than an inch in length. At first, the young birds 

 are covered with fine down. 



The beak of the Night-jar is short and flexible, the 

 gape is wide, and the mouth is furnished with a number 

 of stiff bristles, which project in a forward direction, and 

 no doubt materially assist in the capture and retention of 

 the moths and beetles upon which the creature subsists. 



Another peculiarity in this bird is the formation of 

 the foot, the middle toe being long and provided with a 

 claw, serrated on its inner edge like a comb. The object 

 of this formation is to a large extent conjectural, different 

 naturalists having different opinions concerning it. Some 

 writers affirm that the bird occasionally secures its food 

 with the feet, and that the claw is of great assistance in 

 the process ; but the shortness of the leg and its relative 

 position with the bill would not seem to corroborate this 

 idea. Most probably the bird uses this comb-like arrange- 

 ment for clinging in the manner above alluded to. 



The plumage of the Night- jar is almost entirely com- 

 posed of different shades of brown with black markings, 



