DIRECTORY TO BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 183 



tail feathers ; female does not have the crescent well defined 

 and no white on tail, fig. 232. Breeds throughout eastern N. 

 A. from the Carolinas north to Canada, west to the Plains. 

 Common in the unsettled districts. Note, " Whi;p-poor-ivtir'' 

 given very rapidly and repeatedly, also a chuckling note. 

 Found in woodlands by day, 



b. Nightliawks. Chordeiles. 



Similar in form to a, but with smaller bills with no bris- 

 tles at base ; fly by day or in the twilight. Occur in the open 

 country. Eggs, grayish spotted with dusky. 



1. NIGHTHAWK, C. viRGiNiANUS. 9.40 ; mixed gray- 

 ish and dusky above ; Fig. 233. 

 banded with white and 

 dusky beneath; large 

 spot on primaries, cres- 

 cent on throat and line 

 of spots on tail, white, 

 fig. 233; female lacks the 

 white spots on tail and 

 has the crescent spotted 

 with dusky. Breeds 

 throughout eastern N. 

 A. from Fla. north to 

 Labrador; winters in S. 

 A. ; migrates in Sep. and X, A, b, 1. 1-5. 

 May. Eggs, placed in gravelly spots, sometimes on the gra- 

 velled roofs of buildings. Notes, a shrill, rasping cry repeated 

 when the bird is darting zigzag high in air, and a booming 

 sound as the bird descends from this height to a point near 

 the ground when he turns to ascend. Common. 



1*. FLORIDA NIGHTHAWK, C. v. chapmani. Small- 

 er, darker, but with ^ore white above than in 1. Florida* 



