88 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
a note which has been likened to the noise made by a spinning-wheel, and so powerful as to 
be audible half a mile off. This note is made while on the ground: on the wing, while toying 
with its mate, another equally peculiar sound is made, which has been likened to the noise 
made by swinging a whip-thong through the air. 
No nest is made by this bird; but the eggs, two in number and beautifully marked, 
are laid on the bare ground. The young are covered with down, and remain ' in the nest 
for some time. 
Another very remarkable feature is the fact that the claw of the middle toe has its inner 
edge curiously serrated, forming a sort of comb, the function of which is unknown. This, 
comb-like claw occurs also in some few other birds — bitterns, for instance. 
A very remarkable kind is the Pennant-winged Night-jar, in which one of the quill- 
feathers in each wing is produced into a “ pennant” of some 17 inches in length. The shaft 
of the feather is bare for the greater part of its length, and terminates in a feathery blade. 
Some of the night-jars, as the 
New World Night-hawk and the 
Old World Eared Night-jars, are 
particularly owl-1 ike, a resemblance 
imparted by long “ ear-like ” tufts 
of feathers which rise from the 
back of the head. Others, as 
the More-pork of the Tasmanian 
colonists, or the P'ROG-MOUTH, as it 
is called in Australia, are remark- 
able for the huge size of the 
mouth, bounded, as it appears to 
be, by huge lips, represented by 
the short, round-edged beak. 
Very nearly related to the 
night-jars is the Oil-bird of South 
America, which lives in caves in 
Trinidad, Ecuador, and Peru, where 
it builds a nest which has been 
likened in appearance to a huge 
cheese, and in which are laid from 
two to four white eggs. Like the 
night-jars, these birds feed by 
night, emerging from their gloomy 
Their food, however, is entirely 
The young, soon after they are hatched, become perfect masses of fat, and on this account 
are much in demand by the Indians, who make a special business of killing them and extracting 
the oil. 
SWTFTS 
In general appearance SwiFTS bear a strong superficial resemblance to Swallows; in reality 
they are related, not to those harbingers of spring, but to the Night-jars on the one hand 
and the Humming-birds on the other. 
The Common Swift arrives in England during the early part of May, and stays till 
the end of August, or sometimes till September has half run its course. Black in colour, 
relieved only by a white throat, it has little in the sense of beauty to recommend it; 
nevertheless, there are probably few who do not cherish tender feelings towards this bird. 
It is an Abyssinian species about which not much is known. 
Photo by If', Saville-Kent^ 
MORE-PORKS 
So called from the note they utter 
[^Mitford-on-Sea 
retreats at twilight with much noise and in great numbers, 
of a vegetable nature, consisting of oily nuts or fruits. 
