174 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



the birds would reveal the possession by both 

 of a very curious comblike process on the inner 

 edge of the middle claw of each foot. This comb 

 the bird uses in freeing itself of vermin. 



The skillful evolutions of a company of Night- 

 hawks as the birds gracefully cleave the air in 

 intersecting circles is a sight to be remembered. 

 So expert are they on the wing that no insect 

 is safe from them. Unfortunatelv their erratic 



Jxmt 



- Photo by H. K. Job Courtesy of Outmg Pub. Co. 



NIGHTHAWK 

 Alarmed as she was incubating 



flight tempts men to use them for targets, 

 and this inexcusable practice is seriously 

 diminishing their numbers, which is deplorable, 

 since the birds are most useful. The Nighthawk 

 is a voracious feeder and is almost exclusively 

 insectivorous. George Gladden. 



The Pacific Nighthawk ( Chordcilcs virginiamis 

 hcspcris) is similar to the common Nighthawk 

 but its general coloration is lighter, the lighter 

 markings on the back, shoulders, and wing- 

 coverts being more numerous. It breeds from 

 southwestern British Columbia south along the 

 coast to northern California and in the Sierra 

 Nevadas south to southern California. Its winter 

 home is unknown. 



Sennett's Nighthawk (Chordeilcs virginianus 

 senncttl) is even lighter and more grayish in 

 appearance than the Pacific Nighthawk. This 

 member of the family breeds on the treeless 

 plains from Saskatchewan and Manitoba south 

 to central Nebraska. During migration it is seen 

 in Texas, but where it spends the winter is 

 unknown. 



The Western Nighthawk (Chordcilcs vir- 

 ginianus hcnryi) has a more yellowish appear- 

 ance, the darker markings beirig more brownish 

 and the lighter ones more bufi^y. It breeds from 

 southeastern British Columbia, Alberta, and 

 southwestern Saskatchewan south to southern 

 Texas and the mountains of northern Mexico, 

 and winters in South America. 



The Florida or Chapman's Nighthawk {Chor- 

 dcilcs virginianus chapmani) is like the common 

 Nighthawk in coloration but is decidedly smaller 

 — only eight and three-quarter inches in length. 

 It breeds in the States of the Gulf coast from 

 Florida to eastern Texas. As is the case with 

 some of the other Nighthawks its winter range is 

 unknown. 



SWIFTS 



Order Macrochircs ; suborder Cypscli; family MicropodidcB 



WIFTvS never perch on branches of trees. They chng easily to the sides of 

 vertical surfaces — to a rock or to the inside of a hollow tree trunk or a 

 chimney. Like the Woodpeckers they press the tail against the surface for 

 an additional support. Apparently they cannot grasp a branch with their 

 feet in such a way as to maintain a fixed position on it. 



Like the Swallows, the Swifts have very small, flat, triangular bills, large 

 mouths, and e.xtremely long wings. They, too, are insect-eating birds and 

 take their prey while flying. 



The salivary glands of the Swifts are greatly developed and the mucilage- 

 like secretion is used in making the nests. In the species found in the Orient 

 the nest is composed almost entirely of this substance, and Chinese and 

 Japanese epicures consider them a great delicacy. The common Chimney Swift of the 

 eastern United States makes a nest in shape similar to that of the edible bird's-nest but uses 

 dead twigs and glues them together with the saliva. 



