THE GAPERS. 1 25 



far as the interior of Africa — that the Night Jars exhibit anything like a social disposition ; in their 

 native haunts each pair keeps entirely apart from others, and never allows the slightest intrusion 

 within the precincts of the locality selected for its abode. It may occasionally happen that some 

 tempting neighbourhood will induce several couples to settle comparatively near together, but 

 under any circumstances the same utter want of intercourse among them is observable. Towards 

 man they by no means exhibit this want of sociability, and in most parts of the earth more or less 

 frequent the immediate vicinity of his dwellings. Almost all these birds seek for insects — upon which 

 they principally subsist — during the night, and retire to sleep within their favourite recesses as soon 

 as morning dawns ; but some American species are an exception to this rule, as they fly about 

 in quest of prey not only in the daylight, but even when exposed to the full glare of the sun. 

 Upon the ground they may be said to recline, rather than to perch or sit, and their gait, when 

 attempting to take a few steps over its surface, is remarkably clumsy ; their powers of flight, however, 

 make ample amends for this deficiency, combining the facility and swiftness with which we are 

 familiar in the movements of the Falcon and the Swallow. 



The sight of the Night Jars is very keen, their hearing tolerably well developed, and their 

 temperament by no means so sluggish as those who only see them drowsily perched among the 

 branches during the day are usually inclined to suppose. They make no nest, and are content 

 to deposit their eggs upon the naked ground, without even such scant preparation as the hollowing 

 out of a slight cavity in which they might be more securely placed. Audubon tells us that it is not 

 uncommon for the female, when disturbed, to conceal an egg in her mouth, and hurry with it to a spot 

 where she can brood upon it unobserved. The young (usually not more than one or two in number) 

 are tended and provided for with great care. Despite the important services rendered by this 

 family, its members are in most countries regarded with unaccountable disfavour. One idea prevalent 

 among the peasantry in some parts of Europe is so absurd that we cannot refrain from mentioning 

 it ; we allude to the idea that some species of Night Jars employ their huge jaws in relieving the 

 goats of their milk — a superstition from whence is derived their usual name of Goatsuckers, an 

 appellation conferred upon them from the most remote antiquity. 



THE NACUNDA. 

 The Nacunda (Podager nacundd) has obtained its name from the unusual size of its mouth, and 

 may be regarded as the type of a South American group, distinguished by their powerful body, very 

 broad head, strong beak, and thick plumage ; their beak curves slightly downwards at its tip, and the 

 mouth is surrounded by a growth of very stiff, short bristles ; the nostrils are situated immediately 

 above the upper mandibles. The wings, in which the second and third quills exceed the rest in 

 length, are long and pointed ; the short tail is composed of broad feathers and slightly rounded at its 

 tip. The legs are powerful, the tarsi long and bare, the toes fleshy, and the nail of the middle toe 

 serrated. The plumage of the Nacunda on the upper part of the body is blackish brown, 

 marked with fine reddish yellow lines ; the head is darker than the middle of the back, and the 

 region of the shoulder indicated by large blackish brown spots. The tail-feathers exhibit six or 

 eight dark lines, those of the male being edged with white. The throat, cheek-stripes, and region 

 of the ear are reddish yellow, and slightly spotted; the belly, legs, lower tail-covers, and a line 

 which passes from ear to ear around the throat are of a pure white ; the breast is marked with 

 undulating lines. The very large eyes are light brown ; the beak greyish brown, tipped with black ; 

 the feet flesh-red, shaded with brownish grey. According to the Prince von Wied, this species is 

 about ten inches long and twenty-seven broad ; the wing measures eight inches and a quarter, and 

 the tail two inches and two-thirds. These birds are principally found upon the vast savannahs of 



