;■■ ' ^ THE NIGHTHAWK. 163 



58. Chordeiles virginianus (Gmelin). 



NIGHTHAWK. 



Caprimidgus virginiarmx G-MELIN, Systcma Natuviu, F, ii, 17S8, 1028. 

 Chordeiles virginianm Swain«(jn, Fauua Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 496. 



(B 111, C 267, R 357, C 399, U 120.) 



Geographical range: Eastern North America; north in the Dominion of Canada 

 to Nova Scotia, New Bnmswick, Quebec, northern Ontario (Moose Factory), and Keewatiii 

 (Fort Ghurchhill), in latitude 59°, and thence iu a northwesterly direction to the Mackenzie 

 lliver Valley, in the vicinity of Fort Good Hope, to about latitude 650; west in the United 

 States to the eastern border of the Great Plains and, sponKlically oidy, along the southern 

 boundary of the Dominion of Canada and the northern border of the ITnited States, in the 

 wooded districts, to southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern Cali- 

 fornia; south in winter to the Bahama Islands, Central America, and the greater part of 

 South America. 



The range of the Nighthawk, also known as "Bull-bat," "Mosquito Hawk," 

 "Will ()' the Wisp," "Pisk," "Piramidig," and sometimes erroneously as "Whip- 

 poor-will" (l)eiug frequently mistaken for this species), is quite an extended one. 

 It is only a summer visitor throughout the United States and the Dominion of 

 Canada, generally arriving from its winter haunts in the Bahamas, Central and 

 South America in the latter half of April, reaching the more northern parts 

 about a month later, and leaving the latter again iu large straggling flocks about 

 the end of August, moving leisurely southward and disappearing gradually 

 along our southern l)ordei- about the latter part of October. Its migrations are 

 very extended and cover the greater part of the American continent. 



Its breeding range in the United States and the Dominion of Canada is 

 coextensive with its geographical distriljution. On the Atlantic Seaboard it 

 reaches the northerii limits of its range in about latitude 51'^, in the Province 

 of Quebec; and although it has been recorded from Labrador, I fail to find any 

 positive evidence of its occurrence there. Several specimens have been taken 

 at Moose Factory, northern Ontario; and among a collection of skins from Fort 

 Churchill, on the west shore of Hudson Bay, in about latitude o9°, now in the 

 Edinburgh Museum, is an adult female taken by Dr. (Tilles})ie, jr., while stationed 

 there as an ofticer of the Hudson Bay Company, previous to 184.''). Thence it 

 probably ranges in a northwestern direction to the Mackenzie River Valley, 

 nortb of Fort Simpson. Mr. James Lockhart sent a skin to the United States 

 National Museum, obtained near Fort Good Hojjc, Northwest Territor}^, in 

 about latitude {^(i^, which is the northernmost record I have been able to find. 

 The western limits of the Nighthawk are not so easily defined. In this direc- 

 tion it reaches the eastern borders of the Great Plains, and it is also found 

 sporadically throughout the better-timbered parts along the southei-u lioundary 

 of the Dominion of Cana<la and the northern border of the United States, west to 

 southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California (Mount 

 Shasta), where it is replaced in the more open portions of these regions by the 

 lighter-colored western representative, Chordeiles virginianus licnri/i. I was quite 



