EUROPEAN GOATSUCKER. 
303 
We have now reached the more truly fissiros- 
tral families, characterized by their wide gape 
and amply developed organs of flight, birds 
which seize their prey entirely on the wing, and 
which seldom settle, except for temporary rest. 
These in Britain are the Swallows and Night-jars, 
each possessing representatives in our list. 
The Night-jars, Caprimulgidce, are, with we 
believe a single exception, nocturnal birds, are 
nearly all insectivorous, hunting their prey by 
twilight, and having their plumage constructed 
on the plan of that of the owls, which possess a 
soft and noiseless flight, and blended shades of 
unobtrusive colouring. Several genera are known, 
the British form ranks in 
CArRiMULGUs, Linn. — Generic characters . — 
Bill very small and weak, dilated at the 
base ; rictus very ample and furnished with 
strong bristles ; wings with the second quill 
slightly longest ; tarsi short, feet weak, 
lateral toes equal, claw of the centre pec- 
tinated. 
Type. — C. Europeus. 
Europe, Asia, Africa, America. Breed on the 
ground, and feed by night ; plumage soft. 
Caprimulgus Europeus, European Goat- 
sucker. — C. Europeus , Linn. — Common or 
European Goatsucker, Night Hawk, or Night 
