TEXAS NIGHTHAWK 245 



at dusk, hawking about, low over the houses. In walking about on 

 the desert one is sure to flush Texas nighthawks from their resting 

 places under the bushes, where they usually remain during the 

 daytime." 



In Texas Dr. J. C. Merrill (1878) found it most plentiful just 

 outside of Brownsville, and he discovered several sets of eggs within 

 the fort. In the San Bernardino Mountains, Calif., according to 

 Dr. Grinnell (1908), "the Texas nighthawk is a characteristic breed- 

 ing bird of the Lower Sonoran zone, but like several other species of 

 the same zone wanders up even into Transition during the late sum- 

 mer." And farther north, "in the Yosemite section it was observed 

 only at our lowest stations, west of the foothills" (Grinnell and 

 Storer, 1924). 



Courtship. — Mr. Swarth (1920) says: "The male Texas nighthawk 

 performs no such spectacular evolutions as the eastern nighthawk 

 does in the breeding season, but he has a comparable, though lesser 

 performance, usually given when in pursuit of the female. Both 

 birds flying low over the bushes, the male repeatedly utters a low, 

 chuckling sound, 'tuc-tuc-tuc-a-tuc-tuc — c-r-rooo,' a rolling note, the 

 finale very dove-like in effect. While uttering this call the wings 

 are held stiffly extended downward. Then, in ordinary flight, there 

 is repeatedly given a long drawn, nasal 'w-a-ng.' " 



Grinnell and Storer (1924) give the following account of it: 



It was the height of the nesting season [May 5] and the birds were courting 

 actively. A male, distinguished by the larger and whiter bands on his wings 

 and the more conspicuously white chin patch, was pursuing a female. The 

 male always followed, but at close range, rarely more than two lengths behind 

 the female. Occasionally a second male joined in the pursuit, but evidently 

 with only partial interest, for he frequently circled off by himself. Less often 

 the two male birds pursued one another, weaving an irregular course up and 

 down, in and out, but never rising much if any over 50 feet above the ground. 

 The progress through the air was easy yet swift, a few strokes of the long 

 wings suflBcing to carry the birds through a long glide. Often as they passed 

 close over the observer the barred pattern of the under surface was clearly 

 visible, as was also the broad subterminal band of white on the lower side 

 of the tail. While the males were on the wing their low crooning trills were 

 heard almost continually, swelling and diminishing as the birds approached 

 or departed. When they rested on the ground between flights they gave the 

 same notes, prolonged but also with longer inteiTals of quiet. One trill lasied 

 2.5 seconds and another fully a minute. These notes remind one of the quaver- 

 ing call of the Screech Owl save that they are longer continued, on one key, 

 and uttered in almost the same cadence throughout. 



Alden H. Miller (1937) adds the following observation: "The con- 

 trast in degree of whiteness in wing and throat patches of males and 

 females was at once evident. That this sexual difference apparently 

 was recognized by the birds and that it was specifically accentuated 

 by the actions of the male were facts new to me. As a male swung 



