158 On the Night- Jar. 



to cleaning- specimens in fresh water, for a very short exposure of it 

 to the latter deprives it of most of its colour, and materially alters 

 its appearance. By adopting the following method, I find that spe- 

 cimens of this species can he preserved in a much more heautiful state 

 than by any other. I first clean the specimen in a dish containing 

 sea water, and disentangle any branches that may be interwoven, and 

 when ready, I transfer it to a paper lying in fresh water and spread 

 it out. This is done without any trouble, for the plant is still rigid and 

 perfectly tractable, whereas, had it been previously soaked in fresh 

 water, it would be quite flaccid, and not at all so manageable. When 

 spread, the paper is to be held up till it is well drained, and then to 

 be laid flat, the moisture that remains continuing to act on the plant, 

 causes the latter to give out its colouring matter, and this forms a 

 cloud of bright pink surrounding the specimen, giving a richness and 

 beauty to it which cannot in any other way be obtained. Chylo- 

 cladia clavillosa, and some others, treated in a similar way, are also 

 much enriched in appearance by their coloimng matter given out. 

 When almost dry pressure is to be applied. 



Calithamnion plumula. — Not unfrequent at Cairnlough Bay. I 

 have found it also in Belfast Lough ; but at Larne, which is nearly 

 intermediate between these two places, I have never seen a trace of 

 it. Its colour is brightened by steeping for some hours, or even a 

 night, in fresh water. It may be dried either with or without pres- 

 sure. 



VI. — Observations on the Caprimulgus Europceus (Night- Jar.} 

 By Dr W. B. Clarke, Ipswich. 



Birds of the genus Caprimulgus are nearly allied to the Hirun- 

 dines, and appear to bear the same relation to them that the owls do 

 to the hawks, or the Bombycidee to the Papilionidse, amongst the le- 

 pidopterous Insects. 



The species more particularly under consideration is the European 

 night -jar, Caprimulgus Europceus. Its length is about ten inches 

 and a-half. The plumage is of a brown colour, beautifully varied 

 with spots and streaks of light yellowish -brown, white, cinereous, and 

 black. The chin and sides of the mouth marked with white ; and in 

 the male, the tips of the two external tail-feathers, and a spot on the 

 three distal primary feathers of the wings on each side are white. 

 The markings on the different parts of the body are so complex and 

 varied as almost to exceed a perfect description. 



