502 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



moved. Sometimes he came quite near, and often clapped his 

 wings. Also settled on elder-stump near. 



8.45. — Took one of the young ones up, and put it down in 

 the old place, then sat behind screen as before. The birds con- 

 tinued to fly about both near the place where I was and that from 

 which I had taken the chick. Once the latter gave a loud harsh 

 cry, which was not repeated. As one of the birds hovered for 

 some time near the ground where I had put the chick, I think 

 she must have seen it. 



9. — Hen bird settled on the elder-stump near my shelter. 



9.1. — Rose and flew off with impatient note, and in unquiet 

 manner. 



9.9. — Bird again on stump. In less than minute flies off 

 suddenly and violently with short cry. Put chick back from 

 where I had taken it with the other, which I found near. This 

 one (the lighter one) was so much the larger of the two that I 

 could hardly think they were of the same hatching. Yet it must 

 have been so, for, having walked all about there before the time 

 at which the Nightjar takes wing, I had disturbed no other grown 

 birds than this one pair. They sit very close, however, so the 

 possibility is not excluded. 



Nightjars. (General Observations.) 

 June 11th and 18th, 1898. — Commence their churring about 

 8.30 p.m. Sit on the very extreme top of young fir trees in 

 plantation. " Churr " for a very long time in succession (I 

 believe sometimes for upwards of a quarter of an hour, but have 

 not yet succeeded in timing a very long one, as it is never known 

 at the beginning whether it will be long or short). Then rise 

 into the air, giving very often several loud claps with the wings 

 above the back, and uttering another note — " quaw-ee quaw-ee " 

 — which I have not heard them make whilst sitting on tree. 



I have heard — though only once, I think — a curious modifi- 

 cation of the " churr " at its ending. It became less mechanical, 

 less instrumental as it were, more voice entered into it, and it 

 seemed to express joy. I did not see the bird at this time. It 

 was possibly joined by its mate. Often when the bird has 

 finished churring on the tree it settles, after a few circles, on the 

 ground on which it crouches. Sometimes whilst here it will give 



