The Nightjar. 275


THE NIGHTJAR.


Caprimulgus europaeus.

By Gordon Dalguesh.


The Nightjar is one of the last of our summer migrants to

arrive, and it is well towards the middle of May that its curious

whirring song is to be heard. There is perhaps no bird that has

suffered more from ignorance and vulgar superstition than this.

It has been accused of sucking goats and cattle dry, hence the

popular name " goatsucker." Even in these days of enlighten-

ment and education keepers and others still regard the Nightjar

as " vermin," which must ruthlessly be shot dowu at every oppor-

tunity. It is of no use trying to explain to these sort of people

that the bird is not a hawk, they simply won't believe you and

stare at you in undisguised contempt at your ignorance (?). The

old Surrey name for the Nightjar is " Puckeridge" and Bucknill

in his " Birds of Surrey," quoting a correspondent writing in

"Nature Notes," Oct. 1897, says: — "'One old man near the

village of Haslemere was heard to say last summer that to his

thinking ' t' Puckeridge is a sort o' hawk 'at maakes a cry most

like door latch l'attlin' up and down, and when it flies from tree

to tree in a heveuin' and maakes a great noise, folks do say as

how 'tis a sign of hot weather' — but added the old fellow in con-

clusion — ' he be a hill meaning bod, he be that.' " Besides the

name of " Puckeridge " it is known by a number of others, as

"Fern Owl," "Eve Charr," "Churn Spinner," and "Wheel

Bird," all having reference to its song. It is also known in some

districts as " Dame Durden," and when it commences tuning up

country people will say "hark at Dame Durden at her spinning

wheel."


As the shades of evening darken and the last day bird has

gone to roost the Nightjar leaves its retreat and flits among the

tree tops in search of the brown chafer, or chases the white moth

across the dusky moorland, uttering a sound which can easily be

imitated by vibrating the tongue against the roof of the mouth,

and can only be compared to the whirr of a spinning wheel, and

:so exactly similar are the two sounds as to deceive many people^--

as it rises and falls on the warm summer air. It will at other



