THE BIRD BOOK 



of gray, brown and lilac. 



420c. Sennett's Nighthawk. 



Cordeiles virginianus sennetti. 

 Range. — A very pale species with little or 

 no tawny; found in the Great Plains from 

 Texas north to the Saskatchewan ; winters 

 south of the United States. 



fc21. Texas Nighthawk. 



Chordeiles acutipennis texensis. 

 Range. — Mexico and Central America, breed 

 ing north to southern Utah and California. 



The pattern of the 

 marking of this species 

 is finer and more mot- 

 tled with rusty than 

 the Nighthawk. Its 

 habits do not differ to 

 any extent from those 

 of the preceding spe- 

 cies; they lay their two 

 mottled gray eggs up- 

 on the bare ground, often on the dry sand and 

 in arid regions 

 where they are 

 exposed, with 

 no protection, 

 to the scorch- 

 ing rays of the 

 sun. The eggs 

 vary endlessly 

 in extent of 

 markings, some 

 being very pale 

 and others 

 very dark gray, 

 mottled with 

 various shades 

 Size 1.10 x. 75. 



i l-rayish white 



SWIFTS. Family MICROPODID^E 



422. 



Black Swift. 

 horealis. 



Cypseloides niger 



Range. — Mountain ranges from Central Amer- 

 ica north to British Columbia, locally distribut- 

 ed throughout its range. 



The plumage of this Swift is entirely sooty 

 black, darkest above; the tail is slightly forked 

 and is without spines; length of bird, 7 inches. 

 Although the general habits of this species are 

 well known, little is known of their nesting; 

 they are seen during the breeding season about 

 the higher ranges throughout their United 

 States habitat, and are supposed to nest in 

 crevices on the face of cliffs at a high altitude. 



268 



422—424 



