AVES—GOATSUCKER. 5738 
has, like ill the kind,a number of bristles about the bill. It makes nonest, 
but lays its eggs on the bare ground, or some loose crag, without any seem- 
ing care whatever. It is a great destroyer of cockchaffers and beetles; and 
its note resembles the noise of a spinning wheel. From its nocturnal habits, 
it has been called the night hawk, and the churn owl. It visits England 
about May, and returns in August. There appears to be no other ground 
for the ridiculous story of its sucking the goats, but the width of its mouth, 
which is to be accounted for on much more rational principles. ‘The 
country people (says Mr White) have a notion that the fern owl, or churn 
owl, or eve jar, which they call a puckeridge, is very injurious to weaning 

calves, by inflicting, as it strikes at them, a fatal distemper, known to cow- 
leeches by the name of puckeridge. Thus does this harmless, ill-fated bird, 
fall under a double imputation, which it by no means deserves —in Italy, 
of sucking the teats of goats, whence it is called caprimulgus, and with us, 
of communicating a deadly disorder to cattle. The least observation and 
attention would convince men that these birds neither injure the goatherd 
nor the grazier.” Mr Waterton, also, has pointed out, that the “striking 
at the cattle,” as the sapient rustics call it, is, in fact, the leap which the bird 
makes at the nocturnal flies which are tormenting the herd; and that, with 
more good sense than their masters possess, the cattle are aware of, and 
grateful for, the service which the bird thus renders to them. 
