THE CIIUOK WILL'S WIDOW. 143 



a fev/^ clays before the females. During their migrations they are said to travel 

 singly, or at most in small companies, and not in large flocks, like most otlici- 

 species, and these journeys are performed entirely at night. 



Chuck-will's-widow is the largest of the Caprhnnluhltc found iu tlie United 

 States, and, like the rest of the members of this familv, it is crepuscular and 

 nocturnal in its luibits, being rarely seen on the wing in tlie (Liytime, unless 

 accidentally startled from its hiding place. It spends its days mostly hidden 

 away in dark shady places in woods, among' the undergrowth, especially along- 

 rocky hillsides, resting" either on the ground or in some hollow log', under a ledge 

 of rock, or perched lengthwise on some low liml) of a busliy, densely-foliaged 

 tree. Although a tolerably common bird tliroughout the more southern portions 

 of its range, it is by no means as well known generally as it might be, and ordy 

 a careful and patient oljserver can expect to become famiHar with its general 

 habits. Its flight is extremely noiseless, the very endjodiment of grace and 

 agility combined, and in this respect it resembles our Owls somewhat, now 

 skimming along close to the ground, (h'opping down suddenly to pick up some 

 beetle, then dashing upward again, perhaps after a moth; constantly twisting 

 and turning from one course to another, but always on the lookout for any passing 

 insect. As soon as the sun has disappeared behind the lioi-izon, all the Chuck- 

 v.'ill's-widows in the neighborhood become alert at once, leave their customary 

 resting places in search of food, and, during the mating season especially, com- 

 mence to utter the peculiar call, "chuck-will's-widow," from which tliey have 

 derived their name. This strangely doleful-sounding note is occasionally, par- 

 ticularh' while under sexual excitement, uttered very rapidly for two or three 

 minutes or more, the syllables being all rolled into one, until the bird is compelled 

 to take a rest from sheer want of breath. The late Dr. William C*. Averv, of 

 Greensboro, Alabama, Avell known as an excellent observer, wrote me as follows 

 on this sul)ject: "In general cadence the tirst three syllables are about e([ual, 

 the syllable 'wid' being accented and emphasized, and the last syllable, 'ow' 

 being only about half the quantity of the first three. Pronoimce the syllables 

 just as I have given them here, ^vith the accent on 'wid' and the quantity of 

 the preceding ones equal in length with the intoned syllable, and you have the 

 call note of Antrostomus carolinensis. 



"When frightened from its nest, or when flying late in the evening, it utters 

 a harsh note at times, and this resembles, to my ear, the syllable 'baw! baw! 

 baw!' These notes, apparently of displeasuire or alarm, are low and can not 

 be heard at a great distance, while, during a still night, the 'chuck-will's- 

 widow,' or call note, rapidly repeated, may be heard for a mile or more. These 

 notes, during the mating season at least, are uttered from dusk to about I> p. m., 

 and while singing they usually sit on the ground, on a log or rock, or 

 occasionally on a fence rail, or on a low limb of a trw, and in such a position 

 they usually sit lengthwise, not crosswise, on the lind). I have known this bird 

 from early I)oyliood an<l am positi\'e that it nevt-r chants its monotonous S(tng 

 while on tlie wing, as has been recently stated. it is also said 'that if either 



