SWALLOWS, MARTINS, TWIFTS, AND NIGHT-JARS. 77 



gape, and the stiff bristles round his mouth probably enable 

 him to catch most of the moths he tries for. They certainly 

 have no chance if it comes to a question of speed. Being out 

 after autumn snipe at the time, I had a shot at the new quarry 

 with no result but to scare him away altogether. Once again 

 I saw another similarly engaged in hunting and admired his 

 operations for some time. The most recent occasion when I 

 have seen one was in the late summer of last year when he 

 came flying over the trees and across the lawn just as dusk 

 was turning into night. 



The Chinese have rarely any love for uncanny spirits of 

 the dark, and when birds have calls, as some of the night-jars 

 have, which are very articulate, men are apt to red into them 

 a good deal more than is there. "The Dream of the Red 

 Chamber," however, mentioned above, contents itself with 

 noting the cry thus : 



"The night-jar now has ceased to mourn 

 The dawn comes on apace." 



I have never been able to decide precisely what species 

 or variety it is which frequents Shanghai gardens and woods, 

 never having had an actual specimen for comparison with 

 ornithological descriptions. I am inclined to think that 

 it is yearly becoming more common as there is more cover 

 for it. 



