GOATSUCKERS 297 



until September 10 to 15. In the spring I have never seen 

 the large bands arriving in migration, the birds seeming to 

 appear suddenly and singly, but in fall it is very usual to 

 see in late August large scattered bands migrating in the day- 

 time, usually in the afternoon. 



At times in August I have seen Nighthawks flying towards 

 the northwest in a loosely scattered band and as far as the eye 

 could reach in all directions there were Nighthawks, so that 

 such flocks must number thousands. Bands of a few hundred are 

 rather more frequent. At such times they fly at an elevation 

 of two or three hundred feet, some individuals performing 

 evolutions to snap up various insects which come their way, 

 while others proceed ahead regardless of anything. 



When they arrive in the spring they are usually quiet during 

 the day time, roosting on the ground along the gravelly shores 

 of rivers or on rocky and gravelly hillsides in open places. 

 Some also roost on the gravelly roofs of buildings in the cities 

 and others perch lengthwise on the branches of various large 

 trees, usually seeming to prefer elms or maples. At the approach 

 of twilight some individual will utter a "peep" in rather sleepy 

 tones, this followed by another and another cry, finally the 

 bird rises in the air and proceeds to seek its food, still keeping 

 up the occasional "peep" now and then varied by a "pork" or 

 a "waugh" or a "whoaup" which three latter sounds are pro- 

 duced by the rush of the air through the wings, the bird diving 

 headlong from a considerable hight and turning to rise again, 

 at about the turning point these sounds are emitted. The 

 "peeps" uttered in the air sometimes sound like the word "beans" 

 uttered in a nasal tone, whence the name "Pork and Beans" 

 applied to the bird. They spend much of the night in the air, 

 flying around in spirals, soaring with wing motion, or often 

 flapping their wings a few times, diving, rising abruptly and 

 performing the most startling evolutions. On still, pleasant 

 evenings they fly very high up, but stormy nights they fly 

 lower down. 



