994 



The Food of the Nightjar. 



[JAN., 



of insects harmful to agriculture, while 12 per cent, consists of 

 insects of a neutral character (see Figure). 



Little need be said as to the harmful insects. All are common 

 and widely distributed species, and amongst the most injurious 

 pests with which the farmer and fruit-grower hav3 to contend. 

 Some, e.g., the Cockchafer, May Beetle, and June Chafer, are 

 exceed ngly difficult to deal with, especially when attacking 

 a large acreage of crops, and were it not for the good offices 

 of the Nightjar and a few other wild birds there is little doubt 

 but that the losses occasioned by these insects would be of a 

 very serious nature. 



Diagrammatic Representation of the Percentages of Food 

 of the Nightjar. 



The actual number of insects destroyed is very difficult to 

 estimate, but it may be of interest to cite the stomach contents 

 in a few cases. In one bird, shot in the early morning in July, 

 remains of 15 June Chafers, 67 Garden Swift Moths, 40 Turnip 

 Dart Moths, and 8 Great Yellow Underwing Moths were present 

 in the stomach. In a specimen shot in August, about 10 p.m., 

 the stomach contained remains of 163 Crane Flies, in addition 

 to fragments of nimierous moths and beetles* 



