FLORIDA NIGHTHAWK 237 



western nighthawk this band is about halfway between the bend of 

 the wing and the tip ; in the Texas nighthawk the white wing band 

 is nearer the tip than the bend of the wing. 



Fall.— Mrs. Bailey (1928) says that after the breeding season and 

 in the fall the Avestern nighthawks range up to higher altitudes in 

 the mountains, even as high as 12,600 feet. "They all desert the 

 State for the winter, beginning their southward journey soon after 

 the middle of summer. They are most numerous in migration dur- 

 ing August and have nearly all left [New Mexico] by the end of 

 September. * * * On the return journey in the spring they 

 are among the very latest migrants, seldom reacliing northern New 

 Mexico before May 10." 



CHORDEILES MINOR CHAPMANI Coues 

 FLORIDA NIGHTHAWK 



HABITS 



This small race occupies the southern Atlantic and Gulf States, 

 from North Carolina to eastern Texas. In general appearance it 

 differs but little from the eastern nighthawk, except in size. Dr. H. 

 C. Oberholser (1914) characterizes it as "like Chordeiles virginianas 

 virginianus, but decidedly smaller; upper parts averaging a little 

 more mottled and spotted with whitish and buffy, particularly on 

 back, wings, and scapulars, and the ground color averaging slightly 

 less deeply blackish (more grayish or brownish) ; posterior lower 

 parts usually more purely white." 



Nighthawks are tender birds and spend their winters in South 

 America, from Colombia to northern Argentina. Even in Florida 

 they usually do not arrive until some time in April. Arthur H. 

 Howell (1932) says of the haunts of the Florida race: "The Florida 

 Nighthawk frequents open pine forests, old fields, pastures, prairies, 

 cultivated lands, marshes, and ocean beaches. Although most active 

 early in the morning and late in the evening, the birds frequently 

 may be seen flying about in search of food in bright sunshine." 



Nesting. — Mr. Howell (1932) says on this subject: "The two eggs 

 are deposited on the ground, with no semblance of a nest, in an open 

 situation, often in a pasture, broomsedge field, or wood lot, or in 

 palmetto scrub in open forest or on the prairie, or sometimes among 

 sparse grasses on or near the ocean beaches." 



Major Bendire (1895) says that Dr. William L. Ralph took sev- 

 eral sets of eggs in Putnam County, Fla., and that here "during 

 the breeding season at least, the Florida Nighthawk frequents mainly 

 low, flat pine woods, especially such as have recently been burnt 

 over, the eggs generally lying on the bare ground. Sandy soil seems 

 to be preferred for nesting places. One set of eggs was found by 



