406 THE PACIFIC NIGHTHA^K 



No. 157. 

 PACIIR- NIGHTHAWK 



\. ( >. r. No. 420 pan. ChorJeilcs vir>;inianus hcspcris J. (".rinnell. 



Synonym. — I'.i i.i.-hat. 



Description. — .Idiill iinilr: MdIiIihI, l)lack, j^ray and ocliraccous, and witli 

 wliitc in |iatilK-^; alxivo l)lack predominates, especially on forehead and hack. 

 Miuttlinj,' falling; into indistinct hars on npper tail-coverts and tail; anterior edge 

 of wing white; the wing-(|uills dusky; a large, white, transverse patch alwut 

 midway on the lirst five primaries, save on the ontcr web of the first; a large 

 \'-shaped throat-jiatch white; remaining mulerparts distinctly and finely barred, 

 dusky and whitish with some faint ochraceous, — the latter found especially on 

 the parts adjacent to the white throat-patch; the crissum sometimes pure white, 

 usually barred, at greater inter\ als than on breast ; a white band crossing tail 

 near tip. e\cei)t on central feathers. Bill without evident bristles, the horny part 

 very sniall, but length of gape about an inch. 'I'arsus very short; the middle 

 claw enlarged, and with a curious, horny, comb-like process on the inner edge. 

 .Idiilt female: Similar, but without white band on tail, and with white sp<its 

 on primaries often much reduced; throat-])atch tinged with ochraceous, and snlTu- 

 sion of under])arts by this color more pronounced. Iiiniialiire: More finely and 

 heavily mottled than adults, and with u|)perparts more heavily markeil, or even 

 suffused with ochraceous-buff. Length 9.00-10.00 (228.6-2541; wing 4.85 

 (1 23.2); tail 4.32 (io<).7); bill from nostril .21 (5.3). 



Recognition Marks. — To appearance "Little Hawk" size — really smaller; 

 central winle >|)iit in long wing distinctive. 



Nesting. — li</<is: 2, deposited on the bare gruund, nften among nx'ks, some- 

 times upon a flat mck. or on the gravel n>nf of a tall building: grayish white, or 

 dull olive-buff marbled, mottleil, or clouded and speckled with various shades of 

 olive, and brownish- or iiurplish-gray. .\v. size, 1.18 x .86(30x21.8). Season: 

 June ; fine brood. 



(ieneral Range. Pacific coast slope nortli to British Columbia. 



Ranx;e in \\ ashington. — West-side, summer resident in open situations. 



Authorities. — Chordeiles popelne. Baird, Rei). I'ac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, 

 p. 133. T. C&S. B. E. 



Specimens. — I 'r( >v. 



THE Xightliawk arrives si> tardily — never before the middle of .May 

 and from that date to the middle of June — that he reminds us of the naughty 

 cliiM who lias disregarded the parental suninions and comes u|)ou the scene 

 sleepy and cross at Q.30 a. m.. when all good little chiMren arc at school. We 

 are sure, too. that it must be something like the necessity of eating cold victuals 

 that makes the bird grumble htiynnl - hayord as it flits alxuit discontentedly on 

 the first morning. Moreover, there is always something incongruous al)out 

 the appearance of this prairie species in the land of tall timber. He is like the 



