398 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Soon it flew up again, and came right down on to the eggs, 

 settling itself in a different position to that at 8.22, the head 

 being turned the other way. The eye, as far as I could see in 

 the waning light, was again shut. 



9.3. — The other bird flew up quaw-eeing as before, and, when 

 near, the sitting one churred softly. He settled beside her 

 silently whilst she continued to " churr,'' lifting up her tail and 

 wagging it from side to side. I had not noticed the tail lifted so 

 high before ; it was raised considerably from the ground. In a 

 few seconds the sitting bird flew off, and the other at once 

 moved on to the eggs, but did not get on them properly, and 

 began to pull them about with its beak (always the under part or 

 chin), though not going into the curious attitude of the night 

 before. The bird did not seem able to manage the eggs, and, 

 after sitting hardly a minute on one only, flew off again, leaving 

 them a couple of inches apart instead of side by side, as they had 

 been left by the other. 



9.22. — Bird settled on ground in neighbourhood of eggs, 

 churred a little, and then flew away. 



9.33. — Bird settled on ground near eggs, and in a second or 

 two flew on to them, and got them together again, I think by 

 stretching out a wing to one of them, and pulling it up to itself, 

 but too dark now to see properly. At any rate, there was no 

 clumsiness or uncouth attitude this time. This bird seemed 

 master of the art of sitting ; believe it to be the hen, and that it 

 was the other (the cock bird) that got into difficulties with the 

 eggs last night, and again this, though not to the same extent. 

 If this be so, then the cock Nightjar is only a " 'prentice han" at 

 incubation. Had to leave now. 



Note. — This same night (at 9.15) had several fine oppor- 

 tunities of watching pairs of birds chasing and playing about 

 with each other high in the air (a beautiful sight), both of them 

 clapping the wings above the back as an essential part of the 

 performance. The clapping of the wings is as characteristic of 

 this bird, as is the churring itself, and as much an expression of 

 feeling between the male and female during the breeding season.* 



* At least in relation with the bird's nuptial activities. Compare aerial 

 antics of Peewits in the spring. This most salient peculiarity of the Nightjar 

 appears to have been most inadequately noticed. I have not met with an 

 interesting remark in regard to it. 



