INSESSORES. CAPRJMULGIDÆ.
F IS STR OS T RE S.
T H E N IG H T JA R .
aprir%u I p üs Europeux; TWè -ffîjgkfyâr, Penn. Brit. Zool:
■ >> BEv^cKj-Bnt/j.Bii'dSj vol. i. p» 3-tâ,, -
>> Nighïhaîblc* Flem. Bnt. An. p. 62.
'*#* »j ~ Selby,^Briti'Ornrtli-."t41j i. p, 131.
t . 'Nighyyr, JenyïTs, Brit Vert. p. 160.
I - Goçld, Birds of Europe, "pt. xviii.
- >> '■ ’ _ L’Engouleventjixdinaire, Temm. Man. d’ÔrnithiVol.
' i. p«. 436.
Caprimulgus. Generic Characters.—Beak very short, flexible, slightly bent,
the gape very wide, upper mandible curved at* the p§3it,_and furoMed with a
row of strong -hairs, directed forwards along each margin. Nostrils basal,
large, partly closed, by a membrane, and partly covered by the feathers of the
forehead. .f Feet withvtfrree toes in front, one behind; the anterior toes united
as far as~the first articulation, the.hind toe reyersible ; the claws short, except
that of the*imiddle toe?whichff long and Serrated on the inner edge. Wings
' “oh‘g‘;j>’'th'e'i'first feather, shorter thari'lhe seeond, which is the longest in the wing.
T hib N ig h t j a r , or Nightchurr, both names hating reference
to a'particular noise made-,by Ithe' bird, which resembles
^letsound.of a'spinning-.w{!«^l^:—is, I b e l® ^ the only noctu
rn a l bird'amohg our 'summer visiters. ' , If has been remarked
that;the Nightjars are among the Swallows what the
Owls are a m T h e s e d n o c t u r n a l , or night
Swallows, as...tfi|Jy haVe^beenksometimes called, do not differ
«much drom the diurnal Swallows, either in their prey, or in
Ihe mo(^g)f/taking i f ; but their habit of flying;and taking
fhei^prdy.;dh^f&SVAying duririgrseveral houm?bt|tbiHi the morning
and in theJeyening, feeding almost entirely on cockchafers
and moths, 'is; of' great servicer to; the agriculturist. by thus
consuming the prolific source - of innumerable grubs and caterpillars;
The Nigh^ar^-dSke the Swallow, /comes to this country
from Africa. I t-tis^ ft he: latest’ arrival in ojrder of date, except
making:vftfe^iappearan#v|fee till
theviniddle of Mayy-and* generally leaves again by the.end of
August! ordthe- middlfe;.of »September, but.,renaaining near a
•month later in Italy before it seeks its winter quarters ; occa- .
isionally,' though -very rarely, staying much longer here, since
Mo’nfagu meutacfife having shot; • one as late as the 8th of
•November, .180©, in Devonshire ; and. Mr. Couch says that
one was shot in Cornwall,- as if in departure, November 27,
1821.: ,
The Nightjar appears to prefer moors,; heaths, and commons
that are partially covered with bushes and patches of
fern ; I have; known them constantly frequent, young wood of
one or’two years’ growth, and have observed that if disturbed
in such a situation they- usually fly to the high wood. If
R