342 USEFUL BIRDS. 



almost invisible when seen from above as they squat on their 

 natal rock. The mother either tries to drive an intruder away 

 by approaching him with open mouth, or feigns lameness and 

 so attempts to entice him into pursuit. 



It is probable that the Nighthawk is one of the most useful 

 of all birds. It ranks next to the Flicker in the destruction 

 of ants, and it takes them when they are flying and about to 

 l)ropagate. Professor Beal estimated that the stomachs of 

 eighty-seven Nighthawks which he examined "contained not 

 less than twenty thousand ants, and these were not half of 

 the insect contents." One Xighthawk's stomach held remains 

 of thirty-four May beetles. Great numbers of grasshoppers 

 are caught by these birds. Potato beetles, cucumber beetles, 

 leaf hoppers, bugs, and enormous quantities of gnats and mos- 

 quitoes have been found in their stomachs. Xighthawks are 

 absolutely harmless, as they never take fruit or grain, grass 

 or vegetables. They are protected by law at all tunes, and 

 should never be shot or molested. Unfortunately, they are 

 now rare in parts of this Commonwealth where they were 

 connnon years ago. 



Whip-poor-will. 

 Antrostomiis vocifcriis vocifencs. 



Length. — About ten inches. 



Adult Male. — Above, finely mottled and barred with black, gray, and yellowish- 

 brown ; wmgs barred with black and brown ; in general browner and not so 

 dark as the Nighthawk ; throat and upper breast blackish ; other under 

 parts buff, marked witli blackish ; a narrow white band just below throat, 

 and terminal portion of three outer tail featliers white. 



Adult Female. — Similar, but band below throat buff, and tail feathers narrowly 

 tipped with yellowish-white. 



Eggs. — On groimd in -woods ; a creamy Avhite, beautifully marked witli shades 

 of x)urple or lavender. 



Season. — May to September. 



In moonlit woods, through dark and shady dells, over 

 wide pastures, and b}^ the lone farmhouse door the AVhip- 

 poor-will flits softly through the silent night. Its flight 

 is not as noiseless as that of an Owl ; but the bird is even 

 more mysterious than the OavIs themselves. Its night 

 flight and weird but melodious call have aroused supersti- 

 tions fancies, until the AVhip-poor-will has been accredited 

 with all sorts of uncanny attributes ; nevertheless, it is, like 



