Perhaps  it  might  be  as  well  to  imitate  the  modesty
of  Audubon,  who  says,  "  I  wish  I  could  have  disco-
vered the  peculiar  use  of  the  pectinated  claw  which

*  Mag.  of  Nat.  Hist.  iii.  33.
t  Ibid.  iv.  276.  J  J.  R.
CLEANLINESS.
19


this  bird  (chuck-will's-widow)  has  on  each  foot ;  but,
reader,  this  remains  one  of  the  many  desiderata  in
ornithology,  and  I  fear,  with  me  at  least,  it  will  con-
tinue so  *."  Yet,  while  we  do  not  pretend  to  be  able
to  decide  the  question,  we  think  Wilson's  account  the
most  plausible.  The  recorded  fact,  which  he  actually
observed,  cannot  surely  be  overturned  by  the  general
remark  that  it  is  preposterous  to  suppose  these  birds
furnished  with  a  peculiar  instrument  which  would  be
no  less  useful  to  all  birds.  In  answer  to  this,  we  are
entitled,  by  parity  of  reasoning,  to  say  that  it  is  equally
preposterous,  according  to  the  other  explanation,  to
suppose  the  serrated  claw  confined  to  the  night-jars,  as
other  birds  which  feed  upon  chafers,  the  kestril  (Falco
tinnunculus,  RAY-)-),  for  example,  are  not  furnished
with  any  thing  of  the  kind.  After  all,  the  serratures
may  be  intended  for  none  of  these  purposes,  but  for
enabling  the  bird  to  hold  more  firmly  when  it  alights


Podargus  Auritus.
*  Ornithological  Biography,  p.  276.
t  Selby,  p.  44.
20  HA.BITS  OF   BIRDS.
on  a  branch,  in  which  case  it  has  the  peculiarity
of  sitting  lengthwise,  and  never,  like  other  birds,
in  a  cross  position.  It  would  be  interesting  to  learn
whether  the  Australian  Podargus,  which  wants  the
pectinated  claw,  perches  in  this  singular  manner.
