338 GOATSUCKER. 



This bird inhabits the inward parts of the Cape of Good Hope, 

 but not the Cape itself; is well known on the borders of the Gam- 

 toos, in Hottniqua Land, especially towards the Bay of Lagoa, or 

 Blettenberg, called there the Night Owl ; feeds on insects, especially 

 beetles, which it takes from the ground, as well as flying, swal- 

 lowing them whole, in the manner of others of the Genus. 



It lays two white eggs, on the bare earth, sometimes in a hedge: 

 the male and female sit by turns. It is said, that when the eggs are 

 disturbed, the birds take them to another place with the bill ; they 

 make a horrid noise for an hour at least before sun-rise, and after 

 sun-set, and sometimes disturb the inhabitants throughout the night. 



B. — Length nine inches. Bill somewhat stouter than in the 

 European Species; plumage similar to that of the Bombay one, but 

 without any white on the throat; one or more of the outer tail 

 feathers black from the base to the middle, and from thence to the 

 end white on both webs, but the second has the end half mottled ; 

 legs rather long, and pale red ; toes long, middle claw much pec- 

 tinated. — Inhabits India. — Sir J. Anstruther. 



C. — Length nine inches. Bill small, black, with six or eight 

 bristles, curving on each side longer than the end ; crown mottled 

 ash, marked down the middle with darker ; sides, including the eye, 

 ash-colour ; throat the same, bordered with deep brown ; from the 

 gape a streak of white, in the direction of the jaw, dividing the 

 brown into two parts ; nape pale ferruginous, mottled with ash- 

 colour; round the neck pale ash, crossed with fine darker lines ; 

 back mottled grey and ash ; on the latter some long, triangular, 

 pointed, darker streaks, deeply margined with buff-colour ; on the 

 middle wing coverts similar marks, but smaller; quills dusky, with 



