112 INSESSORES. 
Che PERV ie 
INSESSORES: SYNDACTYLI. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE NIGHT HAWK — WHIP-POOR-WILL — 
CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW— BARN AND CHIMNEY SWALLOWS -= 
ANECDOTE BY AUDUBON—PURPLE MARTIN—EDIBLE SWAL- 
LOW’S NEST. 
Ir is extremely interesting, in the study of Birds, 
to notice the connection which exists between tribes 
as well as species. We have spoken of the Hawk 
Owl as possessing peculiarities of form and habits 
belonging to two distinct families; we will now no- 
tice other instances which are no less remarkable in 
this respect. In the Night Hawk, the Whip-poor- 
will, and the Chuck-wills-widow, we observe the soft 
downy plumage and the muffled wings of the Owl, 
as well as its nocturnal habits, combined in many 
prominent points with the general structure of the 
Swallow. The wide mouth, the small sharp bill, 
slightly hooked, the short legs and small feet, the 
long sharp wing and wide expanding tail. With the 
Owls ends the division Raptores, and with the Night 
Hawk, etc., commences the order of Insessores. 
The habits of the three birds above-named are ex- 
tremely interesting. With the Night Hawk we are 
most familiar, as it is quite abundant everywhere, 
from Maine to South Carolina, and westward to the 
