POOE-WILLS 345 



The usual forage range of the poor-will is close to the ground or brush, 

 being thus quite different from that of the high-flying nighthawks. And 

 while actively foraging, the birds pause from time to time and come to rest 

 on the ground or a convenient rock. Indeed they spend much more than 

 half of their forage time at rest. At Mono Lake near the mouth of Rush 

 Creek, on June 3, 1916, three Nuttall Poor-wills were seen foraging on 

 moths about a poplar tree. The birds would fly up and hover about the 

 lower foliage and make short dabs at the insects. At this station the poor- 

 wills were seen to alight lengthwise on old logs rather than on the ground 

 itself. 



The mellow two or three-part call of the poor-will is given irregularly, 

 sometimes at long intervals, again in rapid succession. It is heard most 

 persistently at dusk of evening or in the early morning ; but near Pleasant 

 Valley on the morning of May 23, 1915, one of these birds suddenly broke 

 out at 10 o'clock and uttered its poor-will' -o 85 times (by count, within 

 2 or 3) at intervals of two or three seconds. At a distance the third syllable 

 may become inaudible. 



Near Williams Butte on June 21, 1916, an adult Nuttall Poor-will was 

 captured alive. Next day the bird was taken out in the open, but seemed 

 reluctant to move. It would sit still for a long time, then suddenly fly a 

 hundred yards or so and alight once more. When disturbed it would 

 spread out its tail and wings, open its cavernous mouth, and emit a hissing 

 sound. Altogether the performance recalled the behavior of a rattlesnake 

 when cornered. The bird objected very much to facing the direct sun- 

 light and usually, after a flight, alighted in a shady spot. AVhen forced 

 to sit in the sun it kept its eyes closed most of the time. 



A nesting site of the Dusky Poor -will was found near the head of Smith 

 Creek on August 6, 1920. It was on a cleared side-hill where grew scatter- 

 ing plants of 'mountain misery' and brakes. As the neighborhood was 

 approached an adult bird took wing and alighted on a burnt log near b.y. 

 Search was rewarded by the discovery of 2 half-grown young birds which 

 were lying side to side on the bare ground both facing in the same direc- 

 tion with eyes closed and wings held apart as if to secure coolness. They 

 were in the partial shade of some brakes about 15 inches high. When 

 the young birds were touched they instantlj^ assumed a fighting attitude 

 and struck out, with their mouths wide open, at the same time giving a 

 peculiar hissing note. A space about 5i/2 feet in diameter in front of the 

 place where the birds were resting was completely cleared of loose material ; 

 it had evidently been used by both old and j^oung as a 'take-off' when 

 leaping to capture passing insects. 



