CAPRIMULGUS, Lin. &C. GOATSUCRER.
Bill slightly curved, very small, subulate, and depressed at the base; mouth extremely wide, and furnished with a glutinous humour for the retention of insects, with a se ries of bristles at the sides ; ears rely large ; tongue point ed and entire; nostrils basal, wide, closed by a membrane surmounted by the front feathers ; tail round or forked; legs short, the middle claw long, and serrated on the edge, but smooth in some of the foreign species. This family have their name from the ancient but erroneous notion of their sucking the teats of the she-goat. They are shy and solitary, come forth chiefly in the evening, prey on nocturnal moths and insects, and lay their eggs on the ground.
C. Buropeeus, Lin. Ste. European or Nocturnal Goat sucker, Prov. .Aright or Dorr Hawk, Churn Owl, Goat Owl, Fern Owl, Wheel Bird, Night Jar, &c. The upper parts varied with black, cinereous, brown, rust-colour, and white, and the under parts reddish-white, with brown bands ; the legs are short, scaly, and feathery below the knee. The male is distinguished by a large, oval, white spot near the end of the first three quill feathers, and an other on the outer tail feathers. Length fully ten inches; expanse of wing one foot nine inches ; and weight between two and three ounces. Native of Europe, Asia, and Africa. In this island it is found, though in no great plenty, from Cornwall to the county of Ross. In the north of Europe, it has been traced as far as Sondmor ; and it is common all over Siberia and Kamtschatka. With us, it is only a summer visitant, arriving about the middle of May, and departing late in August, or early in September. It is no where very numerous, and never appears in flocks; even the individuals of a pair usually take their station at some little distance from each other. They perch length ways on the branch of a tree, and not in a cross direction, like most other birds. They are partial to woods and their outskirts, but also frequent stony and heathy districts. Like owls, they are seldom seen in the day-time, unless disturbed, or else in dark and gloomy weather, when their eyes are not dazzled by the rays of the sun. In the dusk
of the evening they prey on the larger insects, particularly on the Scarabaus melolontha and solstitialis, which emerge about that time from their earthy abode ; they are also fond of the large bodied moths, and, indeed, allow few winged insects within their reach to escape from their widely dis tended jaws. They make no formal nest, the female de positing two or three dull white eggs, spotted with brown, in a hole on the ground, or among brakes. When perch ed, it usually sits on a bare branch, with its head lower than its tail, and, in this attitude, utters its jarring note. When on wing, it likewise makes a loud buzzing noise, which has been compared to that of a spinning-wheel. On some occasions, it sends forth a small plaintive note or squeak, which it repeats four or five times in succession, and which is supposed to be the call of the male. It will wheel round and round some large naked tree, with a very irregular and rapid motion, diving briskly, at intervals, as if to catch its prey, and then rising as suddenly ; but it is then difficult to get within gunshot of it ; for it abruptly disappears, nor can its retreat be discovered.
C. Virginianus, Gmel. &c. Virginian Goatsucker, Mosquito Hawk, or Whip Poor Will. The upper parts varied with dusky-brown, reddish, and cinereous, the un der whitish, with dusky bands ; throat of the male with a white crescent. Length eight or nine inches. This spe cies arrives in Virginia about the latter end of April, and moves southward in September. The female makes no nest, but lays two greenish-brown eggs on the bare ground in May. It feeds on the larger grasshoppers, and such like insects, which it does not always catch when on the wing, but will frequently sit on a post or rail, and leap on them as they fly past. It begins its note, from which its popu lar name is derived, about sunset, discontinues it during the darkness, but resumes it with the first dawn, nor ceases till nearly sun-rise. Five or six may often be beard at once, to the great annoyance of the neighbour hood.