182 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



which constitutes the entrance to the disused copper-mines at Alderley 

 Edge, Cheshire, but in the dim light could not see whether they were 

 of the usual type and built upon ledges, or whether the lower rim was 

 unsupported by projection or inequality of surface, as is the case in 

 the nests beneath the low brick bridges in the fens. — Charles Oldham 

 (Knutsford). 



Movement of Young Nightjars (Caprimulgus europaeus). — Not by 

 any means the least fascinating and useful part of wild-bird photography 

 is that most exceptional opportunities are given for learning the habits 

 of birds. Mr. J. H. Gurney (ante, p. 88) is puzzled to account for the 

 fact that young Nightjars are frequently found a yard or more from the 

 spot where they were hatched, even so soon as the day after hatching, 

 and suggests that they are probably carried in the mouth of the old 

 bird. I can assure him that even when but a day old these quaint 

 little creatures are quite capable of traversing unaided the distance 

 mentioned. I have several times during the last four years spent 

 pleasant hours concealed, with my camera, beneath a bower of 

 branches, and within six feet of the home of these interesting birds, 

 almost always after the young were hatched, and at least on two 

 occasions when they were not more than a day old. A description of 

 what took place on one of the latter occasions may be taken as typical 

 of all, irrespective of the age of the young birds. Before creeping 

 into the bower, which had been previously prepared, I made some 

 photographs of the young birds, which appeared incapable of walking 

 or even standing upright. After I was carefully concealed, with my 

 camera, beneath the bi-anches, so that no part of the apparatus except 

 the lens or of my clothing was visible from outside, I had to wait about 

 twenty minutes before the old bird returned. She flew straight down 

 to the ground, alighting about a yard from the young ones, and, 

 catching sight of the lens, hesitated. After a minute or two she gave 

 utterance to a peculiar crooning sound, something like the croaking of 

 a Frog, but softer, and more like a hoarse whisper. Immediately the 

 two little birds, which had appeared quite inanimate, became very 

 much alive, and — to use an expression which most nearly describes 

 their method of progression — toddled at a great rate to their mother, 

 who took them partly under her forward breast-feathers. This was 

 interesting to watch, but not conducive to my obtaining photographs 

 of the old bird, as it was necessary to turn the camera round a point 

 and refocus, not an easy matter under the circumstances without 

 alarming the old Nightjar. I did, however, succeed in making some 

 good studies of this bird; but, in photographing Nightjars, I have 



