ANTROSTOMUS CAnOLINENSlS. •"^•^ 



week ill May, the young arc fully flcdgcil Ity the last week in July, ami as they arc found 

 jilone in the woods at that early age, ninst learn soon to hunt for themselves. These hirds 

 arc rather solitary in habit and, although quite a number occasionally collect in favorable 

 localities, they are not gregarious, even while migrating. The southward passage occurs 

 in September and as these birds are never seen flying during the day-time, it must be per- 

 formed wholly at night. 



ANTROSTOMUS CAROLINENSIS. 

 Chuck-wtU's V/idow. 

 Antroslomus Caro/incnsis Gould, Icones Avium; 1838. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Tongue, long, nan-ow, thin and somewhat fleshy. The hyoiil 

 liones curve upward back of the skull. The bristles of the l)ill are provided with lateral filaments. 



Color. Adult male. General color above, dark-brown, obscured by spots, tippings, and edgings of rufous. The top 

 of head is rufous with three longitudinal streaks of black, extending from the base of the bill to the nape and there Ls a 

 yclIowish-rufous line over the eye. There are drop-shaped spots of rufous on the wing coverts, forming a Ijar. The wings 

 jire dark-brown barred on both webs with spots of yellowish-rufous which are sprinkled with brown. The «capularies and 

 upper wing coverts are marked with black and edged with ashy. The tail is Ijnjwn, marked with ashy and rufous whicli 

 appear in smaU spots forming bars The three outer pairs of feathers are broadly tipped with white wliieh becomes buffy-yel- 

 low below, and all the feathers are tipped with buff which is sprinkled with Ijrown above. Beneath, dark-l)rown, with the 

 feathers tipped and spotted with yellowish-rufous. There is a narrow band of whitish on the throat liut it is not very dis- 

 tinct. 



Adn't female. Quite similar to the male, but lacks the white markings on the tail which arerejilaced by brownish, and 

 the huffy tippings of the feathers are without dots, but there is a distinct, subterminal bar of lilack, and there is no wlute 

 band on the throat. Bill and feet, brown in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Specimens vary considerably in markings, much as in the preceding species to which the general colors bear considera- 

 ble rcsemljlance; they may be known at once liy tlie larger size and huffy color on the under side of tiie white of the tail. 

 Distributed during summer throughout the Eastern section of the United States, north to the Carolinas, and in the interior 

 into Southern Illinois. Winters in the West Indies. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of six specimens from Florida. Length, 12-87; stretch, 25'00; wing, 8-55; tail, 5-95; bill, -42; 

 tarsus, -07. Longest specimen, 13-25; greatest extent of wing, -25-50; l<mgest wing, 8-'J0; tail, 6-50; bill, -45; tarsus, -75. 

 Shortest speemien, 12-50; smallest extent of wing, 24-60; shortest wmg, 8-30; tail, 5-40; bill, -30; tarsus, -60. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



NcbU, mere hollows scratched in the ground among the leaves, no material being used. A secluded locality is always 

 iolceted, usually in thick hummocks. 



Eijijs, two in number, perfectly elliptical in form, pale-sahnon in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with Lilac, pale- 

 liluc and lirown. Dimensions from r40x -95 to l-55x r07. 



IIADITS. 

 "Shtn-Lly after the first notes of the Whippoorwill are heard in Florida, a more volumi- 

 nous song comes through the still evening air; it is similar in tone to that of the above 

 mentioned species, but louder and more prolonged, for it consists of at least one more 

 syllable, and although the lay pronounced by the birds bears but little resemblance to their 

 name, any one who is familiar with ornithology would at once exclaim, 'that is the Chuck- 

 will's Widow:' The notes are so different from those of the birds last described, that even 

 the settlers in Florida, notice it and call them Spanish Whippoorwills. The song of the 



