﻿114 
  

  

  THE 
  VERTEBBATE 
  FAUNA 
  OF 
  "DEE." 
  

  

  Family 
  C 
  APRIMULGIDiE 
  . 
  

  

  Genus 
  CAPRIMULGUS, 
  Linn. 
  

  

  Caprimulgus 
  europasus, 
  Linn. 
  Nightjar. 
  " 
  Goatsucker." 
  

   " 
  Fern-Owl." 
  " 
  Churn-Owl." 
  

  

  This 
  interesting 
  bird 
  is 
  more 
  common 
  throughout 
  " 
  Dee 
  " 
  

   than 
  is 
  generally 
  supposed 
  ; 
  but 
  before 
  it 
  can 
  be 
  seen 
  

   and 
  its 
  habits 
  studied 
  one 
  has 
  to 
  visit 
  the 
  solitary 
  wooded 
  

   glen 
  or 
  coppice 
  - 
  covered 
  knoll 
  when 
  the 
  evening 
  shadows 
  

   are 
  gliding 
  into 
  night. 
  At 
  such 
  time 
  and 
  place 
  the 
  pleasing 
  

   churl 
  of 
  the 
  Fern 
  -Owl 
  may 
  be 
  heard. 
  Again, 
  along 
  some 
  

   hill 
  -side 
  at 
  dawn 
  of 
  day, 
  squatted 
  on 
  a 
  moss 
  -covered 
  

   boulder 
  or 
  old 
  tree 
  - 
  stump, 
  the 
  Goatsucker 
  may 
  be 
  seen, 
  

   usually 
  in 
  pairs, 
  sitting 
  side 
  by 
  side, 
  but 
  generally 
  " 
  head 
  and 
  

   tail." 
  Thus 
  placed, 
  I 
  have 
  frequently 
  come 
  upon 
  them 
  in 
  

   early 
  morning 
  ; 
  the 
  colour 
  of 
  their 
  plumage 
  and 
  the 
  dull 
  and 
  

   dreamy 
  light 
  preventing 
  their 
  presence 
  from 
  being 
  seen 
  until 
  

   close 
  upon 
  them, 
  so 
  like 
  are 
  they 
  to 
  the 
  surroundings. 
  On 
  

   rising, 
  the 
  male, 
  who 
  generally 
  is 
  the 
  first 
  to 
  take 
  wing, 
  utters 
  

   a 
  soft 
  whistling 
  cry 
  of 
  two 
  notes, 
  then 
  both 
  betake 
  themselves 
  

   to 
  where 
  they 
  consider 
  they 
  are 
  beyond 
  danger. 
  The 
  eggs 
  of 
  

   the 
  Nightjar 
  are 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  "collector's" 
  most 
  beautiful 
  

   treasures. 
  

  

  Sub-Order 
  PICL 
  

  

  Family 
  PICIM1. 
  

  

  Genus 
  PICUS, 
  Linn. 
  

  

  Picus 
  major, 
  Linn. 
  Great 
  Spotted 
  Woodpecker. 
  

  

  This 
  fine 
  bird 
  is 
  a 
  usual, 
  although 
  irregular, 
  visitor 
  to 
  

   " 
  Dee," 
  generally 
  in 
  autumn. 
  It 
  is 
  not 
  known 
  to 
  breed 
  within 
  

   the 
  district, 
  although 
  at 
  one 
  time 
  not 
  very 
  far 
  back 
  it 
  seems 
  

   to 
  have 
  been 
  regular 
  in 
  its 
  nidification 
  in 
  the 
  pine 
  woods 
  of 
  

   Scotland, 
  notably 
  in 
  the 
  forest 
  of 
  Rothiemurchus, 
  where 
  even 
  

   yet 
  the 
  old 
  trees 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  seen 
  with 
  the 
  Woodpeckers' 
  " 
  nest- 
  

   holes." 
  We 
  are 
  indebted 
  to 
  Mr. 
  Harvie-Brown 
  of 
  Dunipace 
  

   for 
  bringing 
  to 
  light 
  these 
  facts, 
  and 
  for 
  many 
  other 
  interest- 
  

   ing 
  particulars 
  regarding 
  this 
  species. 
  

  

  