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THE NIGHTJAR. 

 (Caprimulgus Europczus.) 



THE Nightjar is the bird of twilight and late evening. 

 When the sun has set and twilight is spreading over the 

 land the bird leaves its day hiding place, on the bough 

 of an old tree, where it has clung the whole time, 

 undistinguishable from the bough on account of the 

 colour of its plumage. It rises on the wing, and with 

 its peculiar, irresolute flight, makes for the plain, or the 

 bare places, and clearings in the woods. 



Like the Swallow it catches its prey on the wing the 

 flying insects of the dusk, among them the largest night 

 moths. Its cry is a pleasant faint "Hait, hait." 



There is a wide-spread, foolish superstition that the 

 Nightjar sucks the milk of cows and goats ; it is, indeed, 

 known to many people under the name of "Goat 

 Sucker." This has arisen from the fact that it is often 

 seen flying about, here and there, in the pasture fields. 

 It darts down, then flies up again and seems to glance 

 stealthily around. This behaviour, and its great mouth, 

 have given it a bad name. Every herdsman, and indeed 

 every one else who uses his eyes, knows that the drop- 

 pings of cows simply swarm with insects towards 

 evening, The Nightjar knows this also, and it is for 

 that reason that the innocent bird frequents such places. 



It is very useful and deserves help and protection, and 

 the more so because it is somewhat rare in Hungary. 



In the middle of May the Fern Owl or Nightjar arrives 

 in Great Britain, and utters his jarring or churring 



