120 THE LYEE-TAILED GOAT-SUCKER 



form, tlie cockchaffers rise from the ground, and, taking to flight, settle upon the trees and 

 devour the foliage just as they had previously fed upon the roots. Sometimes a whole 

 series of trees may be seen, which have been entirely stripped of their leaves by the 

 chaffers. I well remember seeing a row of trees that extended along a country road near 

 Dieppe, that had been totally despoiled of their foliage, and which stretched their naked 

 branches abroad as if they had been blasted by the destroying breath of the Simoom. 



The Mghtjar also feeds on moths of various kinds, and catches them by sweeping 

 quickly and silently among the branches of the trees near which the moth tribes most 

 love to congregate. While engaged in their sport, they will occasionally settle on a bank, 

 a wall, a post, or other convenient perch, crouch downward until they bring their head 

 almost on a level with their feet, and utter the peculiar churning note which has earned 

 for them the name of Churn- Owls, Jar-Owls, and Spinners. Their cry has been rather 

 well compared to that sound which is produced by the larger beetles of the night, but of 

 course much louder, and with the addition of the characteristic " chur-r-r ! — chur-r-r ! " 

 Sometimes, although but seldom, the Nightjar utters its cry while on the wing. When it 

 settles, it always seats itself along a branch, and almost invariably with its head pointing 

 towards the trunk of the tree. 



There is also a strange squeaking sound which is emitted by the Nightjar while 

 playing round the trees at night, and which is supposed to be a cry of playfulness, or a 

 call to its mate. 



Although rather a shy bird, and avoiding the presence of mankind, it is bold enough 

 on occasion, and when it finds an abundance of food, or when it desires to defend its 

 young, it cares Little for any strange form, whether of man or beast. On one occasion, 

 while I was travelling to Paris by railway, a Nightjar accompanied us for a considerable 

 distance, hunting after the flies that are so plentifully attracted by a moving train of 

 railway carriages. Should an intruder come too near its nest, the Nightjar will sweep 

 repeatedly over his head, producing a sharp ruffling sound, intended to terrify him, and 

 formed, as some supposed, by strilcing the wings smartly together over the back. 



Unlike the Falconidte, the Goat-siicker catches its prey, not with its claws, but with its 

 mouth, and is aided in retaining them in that very wide receptacle, by the glutinous 

 secretion with which it is lined, and the " vibrissa " or hair-like feathers which surround 

 its margin. On an examination of the foot of this bird, the claw of the middle toe is 

 seen to be serrated like the teeth of a comb, a structure which has never yet been 

 satisfactorily explained, notwithstanding the various theories which have been put 

 forward concerning ifts use. The hind toe of each foot is very mobile, and can be 

 brought round to the remaining toes, so that all the claws take their hold in the same 

 direction. Apparently, this structure is intended to enable them to run along the 

 branches of trees, in their nocturnal chase after beetles and other insects. 



This bird is spread over Europe, and has been captured in Africa, whither it retires in 

 order to pass the winter. Specimens have been taken in Ireland, and I once saw one of 

 these birds which had been shot close to Oxford. 



The Nightjar makes no nest, but choosing some sheltered hollow under the shade of a 

 grass tuft, a bunch of fern, bramble, or other defence, there lays two eggs on the bare 

 ground. The colour of the egg is greyish-white, plentifully mottled with pale buff and 

 grey. The yormg are very similar to those of the cuckoo. The plumage of the Nightjar 

 is very rich in its colouring, the tints of buff, grey, black, white, lirown, and chestnut, 

 being arranged in pleasing but most intricate patterns, and easier to be understood from a 

 pencil illustration than a description of the pen. The sexes are very similar in their 

 plumage, but the male may be distinguished from his mate by a number of oval white 

 spots which are found on the inner side of the first three quill feathers of the wings, and 

 upon the outside quill feathers of the tail. The length of the adult bird is about ten 

 inches. 



A VEEY remarkable form of plumage is seen in the Lyre-tailed Goat-sucker. 

 This beautiful bird is a native of Columbia, and is notable for the extraordinary 

 development of the outer tail feathers. Although the bird itself is by no means large, veiy 



