390 WHIPPOORWILL. 



these forr.ays. The Night Hawks migrate about the first of September, when hundreds 

 may be seen, toward the close of day, flying in detached flocks. They keep at a considera- 

 ble elevation until after sunset, when tliey descend near the ground to feed as they go. I 

 have never seen this species in Florida during winter or even in November but found them 

 abundant, as already described, after the first of April and they are common througli the 

 summer. 



GENUS II. ANTKOSTOMUS. THE VVillProoRWILLS. 



Gen. Cii. Winr/s, not extending beyond the tail u/ii n c/osed, with the second or third ijui/l longest. Bristles at oane of 

 bill, veri/ long. Tail, rounded. Plumage, soft ar.d uwl-like. The costal process of sternum does not approach the cora- 

 coids but sends a spur upward at right angles with then. 



Meml)ers of tiw genus are entirely noPturriiil in liabit, never, voluntarily, flying during diiylight. The sterno-traclie- 

 alis Ik vei-y large and thick, and has its origin lnw, as in the preceding genus. There i,s a very weak broncho-trachealis ' 

 posticus, and also a singular muscle which passes completely around the trachea, above the origin of the other muscles, and 

 is fastened to the lower extremities of the furcula; other portions of larynx, similar to those given in the preceding genus. 

 The oesophagus is larger near the mouth than elsewhere. The other characters are as described in Chordeiles, excepting 

 the cooca which is proportionately longer, measuring 1'40 in vociferus. 



ANTEOSTOMUS VOCIFERUS. 

 Whippoorwill. 



Antrostomus vociferus Bon. List; 1838. 



DESCUn'TION. 



Sp. Cii. Form, somewhat robust. Size, not large. Sternum, not stuut. Tongue, long, smooth, thin and somewhat 

 fleshy. Tiie hyoid Ijones curve upward Iiack of the skull. The bristles of the bill are without lateral filaments . 



Color. Adult male. (Jeneral color above, daik-brown, but this is obscured by spots, tippings, and edgings of ashy 

 and rufous. The top of the head is ashy-brown, streaked with dark-brown. There are drop-shajtcd spots of rufous on the 

 wing coverts, forming a bar. The wings are dark-brown barred on both webs with S])ots of l)right rufous. The tail is also 

 brown, marked with ashy and rufous which appear in small spots and form bars. Tlie thrae outer jxiirs of feathers are 

 broadly ti;ip('d with wliite which showsayellowis!i ting;; boljw. Boneath, dark-Iirown with tliefoathers tipped and spottcil 

 ■with yellowish-rufous which nearly covei's the flanks and under tail and wing coverts. There Is a band of white on thp 

 throat beneath which is an indistinct one of ruf lus. 



Adult female. Quite similar to the male, )mt lacks the white markings on the outer tail feathers; the entire tail is, 

 liowever, excepting the central jiair of feathers, tipi)ed with yellowish, and the white band on the throat is replaced by one 

 of yellowish. 



Young. The colors above and below are much more rufous, showing but little of the a.shy of the adult. In the male, 

 the white of the tail is as in the adult, but the dark-brown of the outer webs of the outer feathers encroaches u])on it, and 

 all the feathers are tipped with a buAj'-yellow. 



Nestlings. Judging from two specimens which I now have, and one that was kindly loaned to me by Jlr. August 

 Koch, which are assuming the second plumage, the nestlings are covered with a dark down ti]iped with yellowish, but it is 

 quite probalile that this species, like the jireceding, undergoes several changes l>etween birth and the plumage of tlics|icci- 

 mens which I have. Bill, black and feet, brown in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



These l)irds are extremely variable in markings, some being much d.arkcr than others. The spots on the wing coverts 

 are not always present, and In many s|je<'imens the scaimlaries are marked with a rich dark-hrown, while there is consitler- 

 ahle difference in the markings below, yet tliere will be no difficulty in recognizing the species by the colors as described. 

 It will l)e well to to keep in mind that the Whippoorwill has no white s]i(Jts on the wings and that the tail is consiiicuously 

 marked with white; just the reverse of the markings on those parts in the Night ll.iw'k. Known from the f )llowing bird 

 ii-s described under the heail of observations in the succeeding pages. Distributed iluring summer throughout the Eastern, 

 •section of North America from the Carolinas to Canada. Winters in Florida and the West Indies. 



