DIARY OF THE HABITS OF NIGHTJARS. 487 



low croodling sound expressive of pleasure and tenderness, and 

 making one more distinctive note. Failure of light a great 

 annoyance. 



9.25. — Bird suddenly flew away, leaving the chicks. 



9.30. — Bird (I believe the same one) settled on stump near 

 young ones, and in a second or two flew down and covered them. 

 The chicks then again jumped up to her, and again she appeared 

 to me to feed them by regurgitation, this taking place two or 

 three times. But again, and still more, I must regret the failing 

 light. Whilst the bird sat quite near me on the stump, I noticed 

 nothing in her bill, which, I believe, I should have done against 

 the sky had she been holding anything not very small. On the 

 first occasion the bird, of course, had nothing, and had (I make 

 no doubt from my previous observations) been there all day. 



9.40. — Bird relieved, and at once flew away ; the partner 

 covered the young birds. I do not think any more feeding took 

 place, but it was now too dark to do more than guess. 



9.45. — The first bird back, and took charge of the young, 

 the other flying away. No further change up to 10.15, when 

 I left. 



June 30th. — (Cloudy, beginning to rain). Must have been 

 about 5.30 a.m. when I got there, but had forgotten my watch. 

 Bird brooding on its young. Another position, head turned 

 away. Eye about a quarter open. Chicks quite covered. Bird 

 shifted right round so as to face me. Young one struggled quite 

 out, looking then, I thought, rather reddish and naked. The 

 old bird kept shifting about, and slightly altering her position in 

 consequence of the movements of the young ones under her. 

 Cannot be sure now if both the eggs are hatched, or only one. 

 At any rate, the eggs, whether both are empty or not, seem to be 

 still under the bird. Both are hatched, I think (though one is 

 much more en evidence). What I saw was a piece of the empty 

 egg-shell. A piece of the shell of one egg at least — the bulk of 

 it — seems to have been moved away some six inches, but cannot 

 make sure of this for fear of disturbing the bird. It now coming 

 on to rain, and having no waterproof, I had to go. It must have 

 been 6 a.m. or a little later. 



3.20 p.m. — Bird sitting, position changed. The greater part 

 at least of the shell of each egg has been moved. The nearest 



