ferratcd. The general colour of the female Is like the itiale, 
but the male has an oval white fpot on the two outfide tail 
feathers. 
The Goatfucker arrives In this country early in May, 
and remains through the fummer^ leaving us towards the end 
of September or beginning of October ; it lays on the ground 
without any appearance of neft, two oblong-oval eggs (larger 
than thofe of a blackbird) moft beautifully varied with light 
and dark brown, interfperfed with afh colour, not greatly un- 
like the elegant markings of the bird ; the eggs are frequently 
placed on a decayed plant of fern. While incubating, the 
male is very attentive to his mate, bringing her infeds and 
keeping watch in cafe of danger ; but we never obferved k 
take to the eggs during the abfence of the female. 
During the day, It reforts to low woods and coppices, 
where it remains till the dufk of evening, when it goes in 
queft of food, which confift of beetles, moths, and other 
infe6ls, particularly the chaffer, thefe it does not fwallow 
immediately, but after it has colle6led a quantity in its 
mouth it retires to devour them, firft difgorging and then 
fwallowing them fingly. Whilft flying it utters a flirill 
fqueak, and often ftrikes its wings together, which make a 
fmart fnapping noife ; this is ufually made when alarmed ; 
in perching it does not place itfelf acrofs a branch, but refts 
its whole body along the tree, which makes it very difEcult to 
find, where It utters a loud noife, refembling the briik turn*- 
ing of a fpinning-whcel ; if roufed in the day-time It flies badly 
and frequently fluns itfelf againft trees, but in the evening and 
in moonlight nights it fports on wing in the fame manner and 
with 
