attributed. But keep careful watch. Presently there may 

 emerge from the gathering gloom a long-winged, long- 

 taUed bird, travelling at speed, with a twisting flight, and 

 deliberate wing-beats, alternating with long ghde on motion- 

 less pinions. As it passes one may notice white spots on 

 wings and tail. This is the nightjar : a bird of iU omen 

 among the aged inhabitants of the countryside, for they 

 will assure you that it is guilty of sucking the milk of 

 cows and goats. Hence, it is commonly known as the 

 " goatsucker." Poor bird, it is quite innocent of such 

 misdeeds, for though it has an enormous mouth, armed 

 on either side with long bristles, it feeds only on moths 

 and beetles. 



If you are fortunate, your vigil in the gloaming may be 

 rewarded by a sight of yet other night-birds. Out of some 

 hollow tree, or swooping round the bam, may come a ghostly 

 form, borne on absolutely silent wings : but with a reeling, 

 buoyant flight, which is unmistakable — ^this is the bam owl. 

 If you are very fortunate, you may hear its blood-curdling 

 screech. Once heard you will never forget it ! His cousin, 

 the tawny owl, it is whose musical, if doleful " hoo-hoo-hoo- 

 hoo-o " has so commonly been misrepresented by poets — and 

 others — as " to-whit-tu-woo." Its flight is slower and its 

 wings rounder than in the bam owl, and furthermore, it 

 lacks the glistening satin-white under parts of that bird. 



90 



