EUROPEAN GOATSUCKER. 



147 



summer visitant, appearing about the middle of 

 May, and retiring the latter end of September or 

 beginning of October *. In common with its 

 kind, it is fond of perching lengthv»^ise on the 

 branch of a tree : it likewise does not make a 

 nest, but lays two oblong oval eggs, of a whitish 

 colour, and elegantly marbled with light brown 

 and cinereous, on the bare ground among fern, 

 heath, or long grass, generally near some wood, 

 where it conceals itself during the day; and it has 

 been observed to shift its eggs to a more secure 

 place when they have been disturbed. 



This species makes a most singular noise, 

 which has been compared to that of a large spin- 

 ning wheel, and which it has been observed to 

 utter while perched with its head lowermost, and 

 has on that account been called the wheel bird : 

 it has also a plaintive note or squeak, which it 

 emits during flight, and is supposed to be a call to 

 its female, as it has been remarked to utter it 

 when in pursuit of her. The food of this bird 

 consists of the larger insects, such as Melolontha 

 vulgaris, and solstitialis, and the large bodied 

 lepidopterous insects, for Latham mentions having 

 taken six of the former and four or five of the 

 latter out of the stomach of one on dissection : its 

 large gaping mouth appears to be well calculated 

 to capture these insects, few of which ever escape 

 it. It lives in woods, and comes out of a morning 

 and evening in search of food, retiring in the day 



* One was observed by Montagu as late as tlie 8th of Novera* 

 ber, 1805, in Devonshire. 



