Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/66

 58 GOATSUCKER was one of the signs of the ancient zodiac (Capricorn) ; the mythological Pan, the god of shepherds aiid the supreme power over nature, was represented with the horns and legs of a goat ; the agi, or shield of Jupiter, was cov- ered with the skin of a goat ; this animal was sacred to several ancient divinities, and even under the Jewish dispensation was emblemati- cal of atonement. MUlMt Mill, a nocturnal fissirostral bird, of the order passeres or insesaores, suborder ftruore*, and the family caprimulgidce. The family are characterized by a short, very broad, depressed bill, with an immense gape extending beneath the eyes and rendered larger by nu- merous bristles for arresting their insect prey ; the eyes are very large, and easily dazzled by the full light of day ; the tarsi are short and weak, the toes long, the hind toe closely united to the base of the inner ; the plumage is soft, enabling them to fly without noise. In the sombre colors and texture of the feathers, in the large head and eyes and nocturnal habits, they resemble the owls, but zoologically they come nearest to the swift family. The name goatsucker is derived from the Latinized Greek appellative caprimulgus, which originated in the idea that they suck the mamma of goats; the French call these birds engoulevente, or wind swallowers, and crapauds volants, or fly- ing toads, probably on account of the great capacity of the mouth. Like the owls, they hide themselves by day, coming out toward sunset, and pursuing insects on the wing with great rapidity during the twilight ; they make no nests, but deposit their eggs on the bare ground or in slight concavities ; they are found in ull parts of the world, but most abundantly in South America. There are three subfami- lies: tteatornina, or oil birds, found in the West and East Indies, Australia, Africa, and South America; caprimulgince, alone repre- sented in the United States ; and podagerince, in Africa and South America. In the first sub- family the genus steatorni* (Humboldt) become so plump on the rich palm fruits of Guadeloupe and Trinidad in the breeding season that their fat is compared to that of olive oil, and as such is permitted to be used during Lent. Some species of the genus nyctibiu* (Vieill.) are as large as a short-eared owl. Among the capri- mulgina are included the European goatsucker, the North American chuckwill's widow, whip- )" r ill, and night hawk, and the South Amer- ican scissors-tailed goatsucker. The European species (oiprimnlgut Europasus, Linn.) is as large as a thrush, of a gray brown color, undu- lated and spotted with blackish brown, with a band of white from the bill to the nape; it nestles in the furze, and lays two eggs. From the nature of its food and its method of taking it, and its manner of flying, it is often called i;ire-tailcd swallow; it feeds on noctur- n.ii inMCti likr moths and beetles, and migrates faring winter into southern Europe and north- vrii Africa, The chuckwill's widow (antrosto- mus Carolinemis, Gould) is the largest of the North American species, being about 13 in. long, with an extent of wings of 26 in. ; it has very strong bristles at the base of the bill, each with lateral filaments ; the wings are long, and the tail slightly rounded ; the prevailing color CbuckwilTs Widow (Antrostomus Carolinensis). is pale rufous, the top of the head reddish brown with longitudinal black streaks, the last two thirds of the tail feathers (except the four central) rufous white, with the outer webs of all mottled ; the female has no white patch on the tail ; it is found in the southern Atlantic and gulf states. The popular name of the bird is derived from the sounds which it utters very clearly and strongly six or seven times in quick succession in a melancholy tone ; they are sel- Leona Goatsucker (Macrodipteryx longipennis). dom heard in cloudy weather, and never, ac- cording to Audubon, when it rains. The flight is rapid, graceful, and elevated. It makes its appearance from the south in the gulf states about the middle of March ; no nest is made, but the eggs are laid among the dead leaves ;