BRITISH BIRDS. 
263 
nested by a membrane as far as the firft joint ; the 
middle one is confiderably larger than the reft, and 
the claw is ferrated in one fide. 
To avoid as much as poffible perpetuating error, 
we have dropped the term Goat Tucker, which has 
no foundation but in ignorance and fuperftition, 
and have adopted one, which, though not univer- 
fally known, bears fome analogy to the nature and 
qualities of the bird to which it relates, both with 
refpeft to the time of its appearance, which is al- 
ways in the dufk of the evening, in fearch of its 
prey, as well as to the jarring noife which it utters 
whilft at reft perching on a tree, and by which it is 
peculiarly diftinguilhed. The Night-jar is found in 
every part of the old continent, from Siberia to 
Greece, Africa, and India ; it arrives in this coun- 
try about the latter end of May, being one of our 
lateft birds of paffage, and departs fome time in the 
latter end of Auguft or the beginning of Septem- 
ber ; it is no where numerous, and never appears 
in flocks : Like the Owl, it is feldom leen in the 
day-time, unlefs difturbed, or in dark and gloomy 
days, when its eyes are not dazzled by the bright 
rays of the fun : It feeds on infe£ts, which it catch- 
es on the wing ; it is a great deftroyer of the cock- 
chafer or dor-beetle, from whence in fome places 
it is called the Dor-hawk : Six of thefe infects 
have been found in its ftomach, belides four or five 
iarge-bodied moths. Mr White fuppofes that its 
S 4 
