DIARY OF THE HABITS OF NIGHTJARS. 493 



8.58. — Hen bird flew off, uttering a note which was not the 

 "quaw-ee." An indefinite note, as of impatience. Chicks still ; 

 they do not move when left by the parent bird. 



9.4. — Hen bird settles on stump close by. In a minute flies 

 to chicks, and feeds them — both of them — more than once. Then 

 a pause whilst the chicks are covered. It must be by some 

 process of disgorging — regurgitation, that is, After pause chicks 

 fed again, more gently, less violent motions ; but feel sure they 

 got something. Could make out nothing in the bird's bill. 

 Chicks out again. May have got a little. They seize the parent's 

 bill. Another chick fed. Feel sure he was fed, though gently. 

 Feeding attended with little crooning noise on part of parent 

 bird (not, of course, while she is actually regurgitating the 

 food). 



9.13. — Female bird flew off suddenly and in silence. Chicks 

 quiet. 



9.15. — Same bird back. Both chicks fed more than once. 

 Regurgitation it must be. 



9.18. — Chicks out again to be fed. Only gentle motions of 

 beak on part of old bird. 



9.19.— Old bird flies off. No cry. Chicks quiet. 



9.24. — Bird (same one — I think, female) on elder-stump. 



9.25. — Flew down and fed chicks as before, but not so much 

 it seemed. As bird sat on stump (four paces off) I could see 

 head and beak pretty plainly against the sky, and she seemed to 

 have nothing in the beak. Chicks (I believe) fed again, making 

 third time. Too dark to see well, but judge from movements of 

 old bird's head and croodling noise. Believe chicks fed again. 

 Much croodling. It does not seem likely that the bird would 

 croodle if she merely refused to feed the chicks, and she croodles 

 when she certainly does feed them. To go by the croodling the 

 chicks were fed four or five times. 



9.40.— Bird off, silently. 



9.40. — Bird on stump. Almost immediately down to chicks, 

 and fed them with much croodling. Croodling repeated twice, 

 at intervals, up to 9.50, when bird flew off, and I left. The two 

 birds were never together this night ; I mean, of course, near 

 nest. At least, I did not see them. I think it was the hen bird 

 that was down the last time before I left, but could not see if it 



