192 CAPRIMULGID.E. 



during the transient summer of that climate, and is well 

 known in all the middle and southern parts ; in Africa, 

 it is equally common, and in Asia as far as the East Indies. 



The constitution of this bird is very delicate, being unable 

 to bear the cold or wet 



The common specific name of Europseus indicates that 

 it is the only one of its kind that is found in Europe, but 

 there are several species that resemble it much, differing, 

 however, very considerably in size and other respects, to 

 be found in other parts of the globe. The bird that visits 

 us during the summer months, retires to warmer climates 

 for the winter, and takes its departure towards the end of 

 September. 



The entire length of the Nightjar is ten inches ; from the 

 carpus to the end of the wing seven inches and a quarter ; 

 the tail measures five inches and a half; the beak, to the 

 feathers on the forehead, four lines, and to the gape an inch 

 and a quarter ; the upper mandible has an emargination or 

 tooth on each side of the hooked tip. The nostrils are of 

 a peculiar construction, consisting in tubes, similar in appear- 

 ance to the nasal tubes of the petrel tribe ; these, in the 

 Nightjar, are fleshy, and capable of expansion and contraction. 

 The vibrissse, or bristles that fringe the upper mandible, are 

 inserted deeply beneath the skin, and, being furnished with 

 strong muscles, are capable of being moved forwards or side- 

 ways, and are supposed to assist in the capture or retension 

 of their prey : these bristles are eight or nine in number, 

 very strong at the root, and drawn gradually to an extremely 

 fine point ; in substance, they resemble whalebone. 



An outline of the skeleton head of this bird is subjoined, 

 to show the number and position of the vibrissse ; it is repre- 

 sented of the natural size (see fig. 38). 



The legs and toes are small in proportion to the size of 

 the bird ; the tarsus measures nine lines, is feathered on the 



