My Neighbors, the Nighthawks 



20I 



challenge passed seemingly without notice on the part of the Nighthawk and 

 the Grackle soon flew off. This little scene impressed me with the Nighthawk's 

 equable temperament and peaceable nature. 



'Bird Neighbors' states, "The Nighthawk's misleading name could not 

 imply more than the bird is not: it is not nocturnal in its habits, neither is it 

 a hawk." Probably no person familiar with the habits of this bird would 

 seriously disagree with the foregoing statement, but it goes on to say, " — except 



"FOUND THE FEMALE SITTING ON THE EGGS" 



when the moon is full they are not known to go ahunting after sunset." The 

 latter statement will no longer hold good for on June i, when the new moon 

 set about 10.30 in the evening, I heard these birds hunting continually until 

 dawn. 



On June 20, when I was beginning to think these birds very considerate 

 of me, in that they seemed always to dive in the direction of the garden, I by 

 chance saw one of them rise from our house and go into the sky quite close 

 to its mate. The two had hunted together but a moment when the one which 

 had been in the air for some time dropped quietly to the roof. I immediately 

 went inside and ascended the ladder which led to the well-hole in the roof, 

 making as little noise as possible. When I pushed up the cover I heard the 

 Nighthawk fly to the next house where she regarded me with some uncertainty. 

 I saw the eggs, as expected, and climbed out on the roof to look for the other 

 bird. He was very high in the sky, but I had scarcely discerned him when 

 he dropped in a swoop that brought him within a yard of my head. Then both 

 flew round and round, not daring to alight, making me feel somewhat of an 

 intruder. I, therefore, admired their odd coloring and perfect movements for 

 only a moment before I dropped back into the well and left them undisturbed. 



