Birds of Pennsylvania. 



141 



young, and will resort to numerous devices to induce you to follow 

 her, when these treasurers are approached or discovered. It is stated 

 that birds of this family have a common habit, when their eggs or 

 young are disturbed, of removing them in their capacious mouths, to 

 different localities. I have known the Night Hawk to move its eggs a 

 distance of over two hundred yards, in less than one hour after I had 

 examined them. In the breeding season especially, these birds are 

 frequently seen sitting lengthwise on fences and on the limbs of high 

 trees, in the vicinity of their breeding grounds. Several pairs of 

 Night Hawks may often be found breeding within a few yards of each 

 other. The Night Hawk, although oftentimes observed flying about 

 during the daytime, is particularly active in the afternoon, and in 

 cloudy weather. This bird when on the wing, if not too distant, can 

 easily be recognized by the white spot on the primaries, which is com- 

 monly spoken of as a " hole in the wing." During the latter part of 

 August, these birds collect in large bands and leisurely proceed to 

 winter quarters in Mexico, Central America, and portions of South 

 America, etc. 



The somewhat prevalent idea that Night Hawks are destroyers of 

 young poultry is simply absurd, as it requires only a careless exami- 

 nation of a specimen to prove conclusively that it would be physically 

 impossible for them to capture such prey. 



The great mistake of applying improper vernacular names to birds, 

 was clearly demonstrated during the enforcement of the scalp act of 

 1885, when commissioners, of whom I have knowledge, took the stand 

 that they were obliged to allow bounty on the Night Hawk, because 

 it was known as a " hawk." 



Audubon writing of this species states that the food consists entirely 

 of insects, especially beetles, although they also feed on moths and 

 caterpillars, and are very expert at catching crickets and grasshoppers, 

 with which they sometimes gorge themselves, as they fly over the 

 ground with great rapidity. '• When flying closely over the water 

 they occasionally drink in the manner of swallows." 



