﻿594 GOATSUCKE R. 



The male has an oval fpot of white on the inner webs of the 



three firft quill feathers, and another at the ends of the two outer- 



moft feathers of the tail : and the plumage in general more 



bright than in the female. 



Place and This bird is the only one of the genus which is found in 



Manners. _ , ,. ..... , . . . , 



Europe, throughout which it is every where met with, though no 



where very numerous, nor ever known to unite into flocks. It 

 has been obferved likewife to inhabit both Afia and Africa *. In 

 ufually arrives in England the latter end of May, and flays with 

 us in the more fouthern parts till about the end of September. 

 It lives in woods,, for the moft part^ and feeds on infe&s, which 

 it collects on the wing in the duflc of the evening and morning; 

 like the Owl, retiring into fome dark recefs during the day, as, 

 like that bird, it fees befl" only during twilight ; not but it 

 has been noticed in the day-time on the wing, but only when 

 difturbed, or in exceeding gloomy weather. It is found to be 

 a great deftroyer of the Cockchafer, or Dor Beetle. I remember 

 once to have found fix of the laft whole, befides four or five large- 

 bodied moths, in the flomach of one of thefe on difTectionf. As 

 to its fucking the teats of Goats-, which the antients fuppofed it 

 to do,, it is fcarce worth mentioning, except, it be to ridicule 

 even the idea of the circumftance. The notes are of two kinds, 

 the one like the letter R, continually repeated, or, as fome liken 

 it, to the quick rotation of a fpnning-wheel\; the other a 

 fharp fqueak, frequently repeated. The firft it begins in the 



*■ Alfo in India. M. Sonnerat met with one on the coaft of Coromandel. 

 t Other authors have likewife mentioned circumitances fomewhat iimilan 

 See Hift. des oif. vi. p. 516. note fej. 

 I Hence the name of Wheel-bird. 



10 dufk 



