138 THE BIRDS ABOUT Us. 



CHAPTER V. 



THE GOATSUCKERS, ETC. 



AND what now of that curious bird the Whip- 

 poorwill ? It is migratory, and the Delaware 

 Tndians said it was not safe to plant corn in the Dela- 

 ware Valley until these birds had arrived ; after that 

 there would be no frost. And so now it is thor- 

 oughly delightful to hear for the first time, early in 

 May, the song or cry of this bird, feeling assured 

 that there will be no more frost. Without any inti- 

 mation of its coming, as if it had dropped from the 

 clouds, this bird finds a secluded nook in the wood- 

 lands, and while it is yet day sits as motionless as 

 the lichen-patches that it so much resembles ; but as 

 the sun goes down and the dim uncertain light of 

 the gloaming prevails, the bird is roused to activity, 

 and then it is, calls out with ceaseless repetition whip- 

 poor-will, whip-poor-will. A pleasant sound at first, 

 but as the summer wears away becomes intolerably 

 monotonous. 



The whippoorwill does not enter the Delaware 

 Valley earlier than May r, so far as I have noticed, 

 and remains until October ; but during the close of 

 its summer sojourn is more likely to be seen than 

 heard, for as the day closes it occasionally flits through 

 the air, and night after night passes without their 

 uttering their monotonous refrain. During the day 



