44 THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 



which, though not universally known, bears some 

 analogy to the nature and qualities of the bird, both 

 in respect to the time of its appearance, which is 

 always the dusk of evening, as well as to the jarring 

 noise which it utters while at rest perched on a tree, 

 and by which it is peculiarly distinguished." Brit. 

 Birds. Art. Nightjar. Now for Wilson's senti- 

 ments on the subject: — " The ridiculous name Goat- 

 sucker, — which was first bestowed on the European 

 species, from a foolish notion that it sucked the 

 teats of the goats, because, probably, it inhabited, 

 the solitary heights where they fed, which nick- 

 name has since been applied to the whole genus — I 

 have thought ^proper to omit. There is something 

 Avorse than absurd in continuing to brand a whole 

 family of birds (the old name given to the Nightjar- 

 family was Ca/primulgidce, Goatsucker-family) with 

 a knavish name, after they are universally known to 

 be innocent of the charge. It is not only unjust, 

 but tends to encourage the belief in an idle fable 

 that is totally destitute of all foundation." Rennie 

 says as follows: — "The Nightjar, it would appear-, 

 is the butt of innumerable mistakes ; for though it 

 feeds, like the bat, upon nocturnal moths and other 

 night-flying insects, the small birds shew, by the 

 attacks they make upon it, that they believe it 

 to prey upon them, in the same way as they 

 mistake the Cuckoo (Cuculus) for the Hawk 

 (Accipiter.) The name also which it has received 

 in all languages, of Goatsucker, (most absurdly 



