NIGHTJAR— WHIPFOORWILL 149 



tive of the family popularly Imown as "Goatsuckers" 

 from their supposed habit of sucking the milk of goats 

 and cows — a ridiculous superstition, having no foun- 

 dation in fact. These birds are widely distributed 

 throughout Europe, Asia and the north of Africa. 

 The Nightjar has a wonderful saiHng flight, during 

 which it sometimes brings the wings sharply together 

 over the back, producing a loud clapping. It also has 

 a remarkable "churring" note, uttered during the 

 evening hours and in the night. See Plate 19, Fig. 

 111. 



Two creamy white eggs, marbled and veined with 

 brown and lilac, are laid, and these are deposited on 

 the bare grovmd. The young are hatched covered with 

 down, but are cared for by the parents for some time 

 before they are able to fly. 



The Nightjars, or Goatsuckers, of America are the 

 Whippoorwill, the Nighthawk and Chuck-will's- 

 widow. In all the plumage is mottled with black, 

 brown and grey, and is soft like that of the Owls. 



The Whippoorwill is very similar in appearance to 

 the European Nightjar, and, like it, is nocturnal in 

 habits, setting forth at dusk in pursuit of its prey. 

 The gape of the mouth is very large and the bill is very 

 small. 



This species is found in the eastern part of North 

 America. The male has a white band across the 

 throat ; in the female it is buff. The inner web of the 

 three outer tail-feathers is white in the male, buff in 

 the female. This bird receives its popular name from 

 its call, which is rapidly repeated with the accent on 

 the last syllable. 



