PLATE LXVIL 



It is difficult to defcribe the diverfified plumage of this beautiful 

 bird. The colours are, throughout, of the plaineft kinds ; but they 

 are fo exquifitely foftened, neatly fpeckled, and elegantly interfperfed 

 and varied with flreaks and waves of black, that no defcription can 

 convey a juft idea of its beautiful appearance. 



It has many characters of the Swallow tribe. Klein has placed 

 it in that genus, and diftinguifhes it by its undivided tail from 

 the other fpecies ; and Pennant fays, it may with juftice be called 

 the Noflurnal Swallow, as it differs from the Swallows chiefly 

 in the time of its flight, the latter being on the wing in the day, 

 and the Goat-Sucker only in the evening. It agrees in feveral re- 

 fpecls alfo with the Owl tribe. Its manners are much the fame in 

 moft countries in Europe : it retires into fome dark recefs in forefts, 

 woods, or among rocks, and never ventures out in the day time but 

 in very gloomy weather, or when difturbed. As it can fee bed in 

 the twilight, it comes out in the dufk of the evening and morning, 

 and collects its food ; this it does chiefly on the wing when it finds 

 abundance of moths and other infecls flirring. In the month of 

 July, it is faid to live entirely on the dorr beetle, or cock-chaffer * - 

 and from this circumftance Charlton has called it the Dorr-Hawk. 



The notes of this bird are of two kinds : " the Louden 1 ," fays 

 Pennant, " fo much refembles that of a large fpinning-wheel, that 

 the Welch call this bird dderyny droell, or the Wheel Bird:' And 

 he farther adds, « it begins its fong mod: punctually on the clofe of 



• Scarabseus Melonthaj 



? clay, 



