4o8 



THE WESTERN NIGHTHAWK. 



one oi tlie most pleasing adijrniiients of lowland meadow or sage-covered 

 upland. The birds "quarter the air'" incessantly in a bat-like flight of irregular 

 zigzags, often limiting as they go, bayard - bayard. They are not so strictly 

 nocturnal as the Poor-wills, Init put a liberal construction on "twilight," being 

 careful to 

 avail them- 

 selves of all 

 cloudy days, 

 and, in fact, 

 moving about 

 at will when- 

 ever the siui 

 slants fairly. 

 The m i d d 1 e 

 hours of the 

 day are spent 

 11 p o n the 

 ground, where 

 their neutral 

 tints serve a 

 protective piu"- 

 pose and are 

 almost imjilic- 

 it]\' relied on. 

 During tiie 

 mating season 

 the males take 

 great ])ara- 

 bolic headers 

 in the air, 

 returning 

 sharply and 

 producing a 

 1 o u d boom- 

 ing daw-zv — 

 whether by the 

 rushing of air 

 thru the wings 

 termined. 



Token near Sfokaiic. Photo by F. S. Merrill. 



EGGS OF WESTERN XIGITTII.SWK, IN SITU. 



across the opened mouth. 



wil 



perhaps, never be de- 



During migrations scores of these birds are sometimes seen moving aloft 

 in loose array and, customarily at this season, silent. While not at any time 

 strictly gregarious, favorable conditions are likely to attract considerable 



