Arriving, the latest of all our migrants, towards the middle of May, and leaving again early in September, this strange bird is but little known to the majority of people, although by no means uncommon in suitable localities.

Its favourite haunts are gorse commons, and moorlands on the edge of woods, especially where bracken grows freely, and in such situations it may be found throughout our islands. The best time to see it is at dusk, when it comes out to capture moths, beetles, and other crepuscular insects which form its chief sustenance. Its flight is silent and very bat-like, twisting and turning with great ease and agility, now and again striking its wings together with a loud clap and uttering at the same time a sharp little whistle. When resting on a branch, which it invariably does lengthways, a curious reeling note or vibrating “churr” is uttered.

No nest is made, but the two white eggs, boldly blotched and mottled with brown and lilac, are laid on the bare ground without any attempt at concealment. The bird sits very closely, and her dull greyish plumage so assimilates with her surroundings that it is almost impossible to see her until she rises and circles round, uttering a harsh “chuck, chuck.”

The young, when first hatched, are covered with an ashy grey down, and have, even at this tender age, the large mouth with enormous gape, characteristic of this family. They do not remain in the nest till fledged, but crawl about on the ground. They do not, however, attempt to feed themselves, and are carefully tended by their parents till they are well able to fly, when they at once quit this country to winter in tropical Africa.

The plumage of both sexes is nearly alike, and is ashy grey, streaked and spotted irregularly with brown. The male has a white spot near the centre of each of the three outer primaries, and the two outermost pairs of tail feathers are tipped with white. These white markings are absent in the female. The young practically resemble the female Length 10·5 in.; wing 7·55.

One example each of two other species of this family, the Red-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis) and the Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus Ægyptius) have been taken in England. The first named is a native of Southern Spain and North Africa as far east as Tunisia; the breeding-quarters of the other are in South-east Europe, Egypt, Nubia, and Tunisia. In general appearance they both closely resemble our common species; the Red-throated may, however, be recognised by the tawny collar encircling the head, and the Egyptian by the inner webs of the primaries being pure white.