112 NIGHTJAR 
7th July 1886, when large numbers appeared at Langness 
lighthouse, and there are each year a few entries there; 
occasionally it occurs numerously, as on the above day, 
and on llth May 1881 and 23rd May 1887, and often 
during daylight. On 12th August 1885 one was caught 
roosting there. In 1904 Mr. Burnett noted the first 
specimen there on 5th May. I am not aware of any 
natural nesting place (as in rocks, hollow trees, ete.) in 
Man; Mr. Graves thinks, however, that they do breed in 
the cliffs at Contrary Head. 
The Swift is pretty well distributed over Great Britain. 
In Ireland it is common, and some resort to cliffs, as on 
Rathlin. It is described as common both in Galloway and 
north-western England. It has occurred in an irregular 
manner on the outlying Scottish isles, but has scarcely 
been ascertained to breed on any of them. 
CAPRIMULGUS EUROPAUS, Linn. 
NIGHTJAR. 
This is one of the birds which Forbes vaguely mentioned, 
without particulars, as having ‘been obtained in Man. 
There is an old skin at Orrisdale. In Isle of Man Times, 
6th June 1885, it is stated: ‘Mr. Adams . . . brought to 
our office on Wednesday a specimen of the Nightjar, or 
Fern-Owl, which was shot on Ravensdale a few days ago 
by Mr. Fyfe. We understand it is about seven years since 
a bird of this description has been seen on the island.’ 
Whatever may have been the case twenty years ago, 
later occurrences of the species have been by no means 
infrequent, and Mr. Kermode indeed says that it is seen 
