106 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



writer has never startled it in the open- fields. The dull and 

 sombre shadows cast upon the ground by the fluttering leaves of 

 the trees, with the faint streaks of light that come and go between 

 their interstices, combined with the dark colors of the leaves that 

 repose upon the soil, create a sort of gray light, which beautifully 

 harmonizes with the natural tints of the bird. In my travels I 

 have often observed a whip-poor-will to start up within fifteen 

 paces of me, and after fl3'ing a short distance on swift and noise- 

 less pinions, to alight upon the ground. After indicating the spot 

 by a certain bush or fallen limb, I have stealthily approached, 

 straining my vision to its utmost capacity to gain a glimpse of 

 the squatting bird, but before I could gratify my desire, she 

 was up and off" again. Time after time has been so spent, but 

 seldom has it been my fortune to witness the consummation 

 of this desire. It has never been my lot to see the male and 

 female together during the period of incubation. The merest 

 apology of a nest is all that is constructed. By the side of a 

 fallen and decayed log, usually on the side where the deepest 

 shadow is found, the female has been observed to deposit her 

 eggs. A slight concavity is scooped out b}^ her, and frequently 

 lined with decayed wood, reduced to a powdered condition, the 

 site being selected where a read}' supply of the material is at hand. 

 There is never more than one brood in a season. The period of 

 incubation ranges from fourteen to fifteen days. I have often 

 been surprised while travelling to notice how conscious it is of 

 approaching steps even when the greatest caution is observed to 

 avoid giving alarm. Its visual organs being ill-adapted to the 

 light of day, and even the mellowed light of the woods being too 

 powerful a stimulus, it is certain that it must depend upon other 

 means for the detection of danger. The organ of hearing, which 

 is well developed, is assuredly called into requisition. This species 

 makes its appearance rather late in the season, when the sun has 

 obtained considerable power, and retires earlj-, frequently as early 

 as the 25th of September. 



Family TROCHILID^E. 

 Subfamily Trochilin^. 



Trochilus colubris, Linn. 



This beautiful little species, which is the only one of its family 

 limited to this section of country (E. Penn.), makes its appearance 



