244 NIGHT- HAWK. 



skimniinfT over a single field in an evening. On snooting some of these, 

 on the 14th of August, their stomachs were almost exclusively filled 

 with crickets. From one of them I took nearly a common snufi"-box 

 full of those insects, all seemingly fresh swallowed. 



By the middle or 20th of September very few of these birds are to 

 be seen in Pennsylvania ; how far south they go, or at what particular 

 time they pass the southern boundaries of the United States I am 

 unable to say. None of them winter in Georgia. 



The ridiculous name Goatsucker, which was first bestowed on the 

 European species from a foolish notion that it sucked the teats of the 

 goats, because probably it inhabited the solitary heights where they 

 fed, which nickname has been since applied to the whole genus, I have 

 thought proper to omit. There is something worse than absurd in con- 

 tinuing to brand a whole family of birds with a knavish name, after they 

 are universally known to be innocent of the charge. It is not only un- 

 just, but tends to encourage the belief in an idle fable that is totally 

 destitute of all foundation. 



The Night-hawk is nine inches and a half in length, and twenty-three 

 inches in extent ; the upper parts are of a very deep blackish brown, 

 unmixed on the primaries, but thickly sprinkled or powdered on the 

 back scapulars and head with innumerable minute spots and streaks of 

 a pale cream color, interspersed with specks of reddish ; the scapulars 

 are barred with the same, also the tail coverts and tail, the inner edges 

 of which are barred with white and deep brownish black for an inch 

 and a half from the tip, where they are crossed broadly with a band of 

 white, the two middle ones excepted, which are plain deep brown, 

 barred and sprinkled with light clay ; a spot of pure white extends over 

 the five first primaries, the outer edge of the exterior feather excepted, 

 and about the middle of the wing ; a triangular spot of white also marks 

 the throat, bending up on each side of the neck ; the bill is exceeding 

 small, scarcely one-eighth of an inch in length, and of a black color ; 

 the nostrils circular, and surrounded with a prominent rim ; eye large 

 and full, of a deep bluish black ; the legs are short, feathered a little 

 below the knees, and, as well as the toes, of a purplish flesh color, 

 seamed with white; the middle claw is pectinated on its inner edge, to 

 serve as a comb to clear the bird of vermin ; the whole lower parts of 

 the body are marked with transverse lines of dusky and yellowish. The 

 tail is somewhat shorter than the wings when shut, is handsomely forked, 

 and consists of ten broad feathers ; the mouth is extremely large, and 

 of a reddish flesh color within ; there are no bristles about the bill ; the 

 tongue is very small, and attached to the inner surface of the mouth. 



The female measures about nine inches in length and twentv-two in 

 breadth ; diff"ers in having no white band on the tail, but has the spot 

 of white on the wing ; wants the triangular spot of white on the throat, 



