APPENDIX 



60. California Poor-will; Phalanoptilus nutlallii calif ornicus 

 Ridgw, 



The western representative of the whippoorwill. Seldom seen abroad 

 by day. An inhabitant of the mountain forests. Plumage intricately 

 mottled with soft shades of gray and brown, with a peculiar effect of 

 frosting. Conspicuous throat-patch and tips of tail-feathers white, the 

 latter often tinged with buffy. Breast blackish brown. Tail square. 



61. Western Nighthawk; Chordeiles virginianus henryi (Cass.). 

 As in the poor-will the plumage is mottled and barred with intricate 



patterns of black, gray and brown. Throat bar of white. The night- 

 hawk may be recognized from the poor-will by the conspicuous bar of 

 white or buffy on the wing, and by the emarginate tail, with a white 

 subterminal bar. It is less strictly nocturnal and may frequently be seen 

 flying abroad, especially toward evening, cleaving the air in great swoops, 

 and uttering its high, single, slightly inflected note while on the wing. 

 The western nighthawk differs from the eastern bird in its paler shade of 

 coloration. 



THE SWIFT FAMILY 



Formerly confounded with the swallows. These birds are almost 

 constantly on the wing, flying with great rapidity, and with rapid vibra- 

 tions of the wings, darting hither and thither with much impetuosity. 

 Bill and feet very small and weak; wings very long and powerful. 

 Insect feeders. 



62. Black Swift; Cypseloides niger borealis (Kenn.). 



Size, large. Coloration uniformly dark, blackish or grayish brown. 

 Irregularly distributed, generally in unsettled country. 



63. Vaux's Swift; Chcotura vauxii (Towns.). 



The western representative of the chimney swift. Size rather small, 

 but little over four inches long. General coloration dusky grayish, 

 throat very pale, the rump and upper tail-coverts lighter than the back. 

 Generally flies abroad at evening, and especially common about streams 

 in the redwoods; its general appearance is quite bat-like. 



64. White-throated Swift; Aeronautes melanoleucus (Baird). 

 Size nearly equaling that of the black swift. Length seven inches 



or a little less. General color above blackish brown; this also on the 

 under tail-coverts. Throat and breast white; a patch of same on flanks 

 and on the wings. Nesting on inaccessible cliffs in the mountains. Flies 

 abroad by day. 



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