504 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



always, however, clap the wings when taking flight after churring. 

 Often they do so with absolute silence, as silently as an Owl. No 

 words can give an idea of the extreme beauty of the flight of 

 these birds. In their soft moods they seem to swoon on the air, 

 and again they flout, coquette, and play all manner of tricks with 

 it. Grace and jerkiness are qualities quite opposite to each 

 other. The Nightjar, when " i' the vein," combines them with 

 easy mastery, and to see this is almost to have a new sensation. 

 It is as though Shakespeare's Ariel were to dance in a pantomime, 

 yet still be Shakespeare's Ariel. As one watches such beings in 

 the deepening gloom they seem not to be real but parts of the 

 night's pageant only — dusky imaginings, shadows in the shapes 

 of birds. What glorious powers of motion ! One cannot see 

 them without wishing to be one of them. 



The following are the different notes which I have heard 

 uttered by the Nightjar, and have been able more or less to 

 catch. There are many others which I could not set down : — 



1. The ordinary " churr " uttered whilst sitting, either length- 

 ways along a branch, or perched on the extreme tip of a young 

 fir tree, or on the ground,* &c. I have never heard the bird 

 make it whilst flying. 



2. The " choo-oo choo-oo choo-oo," or " choo-ey choo-ey 

 choo-ey," at the end of the churring uttered as the bird takes 

 flight, and generally (perhaps always) accompanied with clapping 

 of the wings. 



3. The jubilee of gurgling notes, impossible to describe; also 

 at end of the " churr." Whether uttered sitting or on taking 

 flight, or indifferently, I do not know. Not so often heard. 



4. The " quir quir quir " at end of the " churr," as above. 



5. The beatification, as it were, of the " churr " itself towards 

 the end, the sound becoming more vocal and expressive, and 

 losing the hard woodeny insect-like character which it usually 

 has. I have only heard this peculiar modification once, but the 

 bird was quite near, and it was very noticeable. 



6. The "quaw-ee" note uttered at and during flight, often 

 immediately after the churring as t; e bird takes flight. 



7. The " queek-queek " or " quee quee," uttered as above. 



* On or near eggs or young, according to my own observations. Whether 

 otherwise I do not know. 



