NIGHT-HAWK, OR NIGHT-JAR. 619 



thick bristles, the longest extending more than ^ an inch beyond the 

 point of the bill. Eyes bluish-black. The plumage above intricately 

 variegated with black, brownish-white, and rust-color, sprinkled and 

 powdered with numerous minute streaks and spots. Upper part of 

 the head light brownish-grey, marked with a longitudinal stripe of 

 black, with others passing out from it ; the back is darker, finely 

 streaked with a lighter color. The scapulars are very light yellow- 

 ish-white, variegated with a few oblique spots of black. Tail round- 

 ed, of 10 feathers, the exterior 1^ inches shorter than the middle 

 ones ; the 3 outer feathers on each side are blackish-brown for half 

 their length, and from thence white to their summits ; the exterior 

 one is edged with deep brown, studded with paler spots ; the 4 mid- 

 dle ones are without the white at the ends, and marked with herring- 

 bone figures of black and pale ochre finely powdered. Cheeks and 

 sides of the head nearly of a brick-color. The wings elegantly spot- 

 ted with very light and dark brown. Chin black, with small brown 

 spots. A narrow semicircle of white passes across the throat ; breast 

 and belly irregularly mottled and streaked with black and yellow 

 ochre. Legs and feet of a light purplish flesh-color, seamed with 

 white ; the former feathered before, nearly to the feet. Middle claw 

 pectinated. — The female is about an inch less. 



NIGHT-HAWK, or NIGHT-JAR. 



{CaprimuJgus xirginianus, Briss. C. americanus, Wilson, v. p. C5. 

 pi. 40. fig. 1. and 2. Phil. Museum, No. 7723, 7724.) 



Sp. Charact. — Bill without bristles ; tail forked, not extending as 

 far as the tips of the wings ; primaries plain blackish, with a 

 white spot. — Male, with a triangular spot on the throat, and a 

 white band on the tail. 



Towards the close of April the Night-Hawk arrives in 

 the Middle States, and early in May they are first seen 

 near the sea-coast of Massachusetts, which at all times 

 appears to be a favorite resort. In the interior of the 

 continent they penetrate as far, at least, as the sources of 

 the Mississippi ; they are likewise observed around the 

 dreary coasts of Hudson's Bay, and breed in the whole 

 intermediate region to the more temperate and elevated 



