238 NIGHTHAWKS, WPIIP-POOR-WILLS, ETC. 



he passes out into bushy fields near his home, and, flying low, catches 

 his supper on the wing. Between courses he rests on some low perch, 

 and gives utterance to the notes familiar to many who have never 

 seen their author. Whip' -poor-iviW , whip' -poor-will' he calls, rapidly 

 and with unexpected snap and vigor. If one is quite near the singer, 

 a preliminary chuck may be heard before each call. These notes are 

 given for about two hours after sunset and for a short time before 

 sunrise. 



It is a singular fact that, in spite of the marked difference in their 

 habits and notes, the Nighthawk and Whip-poor-will are frequently 

 considered to be the same species. It is not the only case, however, 

 where the notes of some species difficult of observation have been 

 attributed to a species whose habits render it conspicuous. 



420. Chordeiles virginianus {Gtnel.). Nighthawk; Bull-bat. 

 (See Fig. 38.) Ad. 3 . — Upper parts black, irregularly marked with whitish, 

 cream-buff, or ochraceous-butt ; primaries fuscous, crossed in the middle by a 

 conspicuous white bar which rarely reaches the outer vane of the first pri- 

 mary ; tail fuscous or black, with broken bars of cream-buft and a white band 

 near the end on all but the middle feathers ; throat with a broad white band; 

 chin and upper breast black, the feathers tipped with ochraceous-buft, cream- 

 buff, or white ; the rest of the under parts barred with black and white, some- 

 times tinged with buff. Ad. $ . — Similar, but with no white on the tail, 

 throat-patch ochraceous-buflf, under parts more or less washed with ochra- 

 ceous-buft". L., 10-00 ; W., 7-85 ; T., 4-60 ; B., -25. 



Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from the Gulf States to Labra- 

 dor ; winters in South America. 



Washington, not common S. K. ; abundant T. V., A pi. 20 to Oct. Sing 

 Sing, common S. E., May 9 to Oct. 11. Cambridge, not uncommon S. E., May 

 15 to Sept. 25. 



Eggs.1 two, laid on the bare ground or a flat rock in open fields, rarely on 

 the roof of a house, dull white, evenly marked with small, irregularly shaped 

 blotches or fine specklings of grayish brown or brownish gray, 1'20 x '86. 



In wooded regions the Nighthawk passes the day perched length- 

 wise on a limb, but on the plains he roosts upon the ground, where his 

 colors harmonize with his surroundings. 



Soon after sunset he mounts high in the air to course for insects. 

 Batlike he flies erratically about, and at more or less regular intervals 

 utters a loud nasal peent, this call being followed by two or three un- 

 usually quick, flitting wing-beats. Long after the light has faded 

 from the western horizon we may hear this voice from the starlit 

 heavens, for the Nighthawk is one of our few truly nocturnal birds. 



Occasionally the peents are given more rapidly, and after calling 

 several times in close succession the bird on half-closed wings dives 

 earthward with such speed that one fears for his safety; but just 



