288 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

incubation and feeding her through a small hole left open for
the purpose.

The Goat- The goat-sucker is so called from the belief

Suckers. long entertained that it was in the habit of sucking
the teat of the goat. There are several varieties and they are
remarkable for the strangeness of their cries. The Goat-sucker
has sometimes been called the Night-jar from its discordant
note, it is also known as the Fern Owl. Mr. Wood says:—“ It
may be seen at the approach of evening silently wheeling
round the trees, capturing the nocturnal moths and beetles;
then occasionally settling and uttering its jarring cry. When
flying the bird sometimes makes its wings meet over its back,
and brings them together with a smart snap. It arrives in
England in the beginning of May and leaves in December.
The Whip-poor-will and the Chuck-will’s-widow both belong
to this family.”

The Whip- The Whip-poor-will, which is peculiar to America,

poor-Will. is celebrated for its singular melody, which is
heard in spring to issue at night from the woods and glens
of all parts of the country. It is a rapid warbling repetition
of the name given to the bird, and is so distinctly pronounced,
as to seem like the voice of a human being. It is a solitary
bird, remaining silent and sequestered during the day, but at
night it often approaches a dwelling, and pours forth its
song upon the door-step, or a neighbouring tree.
Chuck-Wills- This bird, also peculiar to America, is about

Widow. a foot in length, resembling in colour, form, and

habits, the whip-poor-will. It is a solitary bird, frequenting
glens and hollows, and seldom making its appearance during
the day. Its song, which is uttered, like that of the whip-
poor-will, at night, is a constant repetition of the sound,
chuck-will’s-widow, very distinctly articulated. It is common
in Georgia, and is regarded by the Creek Indians with super-
stitious awe. It is very seldom seen in the Middle or Eastern
States; “but I recollect once,” saysan American writer, “to have