222 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



New York State. Breeding formerly on Staten Island, where 

 it has arrived as early as April 17, 1908 (Chapin). Now nesting 

 only in northern Westchester County, where Dr. Fisher reported 

 it as late as October 17. 



CENTRAL PARK. Rare spring transient, April 25, 1913 

 (Anne A. Crolius) to May 16, 1913 (Griscom); only one fall 

 record, October 7, 1916 (Hix). 



BRONX REGION. Rare transient, May 1, 1916 (L. N. 

 Nichols) to May 14, 1884 (Dwight); no fall records. 



New Jersey. Common summer resident in the hill country, 

 absent elsewhere. Rare as a transient where it does not breed. 



ENGLEWOOD REGION. A few birds bred formerly on the 

 Palisades north of Englewood; now a rare transient, noted 

 chiefly the first week in May; April 29, 1911 (Weber) to May 

 17, 1914 (LaDowand N. F. Lenssen); October 5, 1913 (G. 

 Clyde Fisher). 



NIGHTHAWK (Chordeiles virginianus) Fig. 20 

 The Nighthawk prefers bare rocky hillsides or wild pas- 

 tures to nest in. Where such country is found, the harsh 

 peent is a common sound, coming out of the black depths of 

 the sky, and at dusk the bird can be seen flitting high over- 

 head on long slender wing, with a peculiarly irregular flight. 

 Oddly enough, in recent years the flat city roofs have provided 

 an acceptable nesting site, and the bird is as common here as 

 anywhere in the country. In most of our wooded and alluvial 

 country the Nighthawk is absent, and is known as a rare 

 spring and common August transient. It is often diurnal at 

 the latter season, and large flocks are occasionally noted. 

 In the spring it is one of our latest arrivals, rarely recorded 

 before May 10th. Reports of birds arriving in March prove 1 

 to be based on Woodcock seen flying overhead at dusk and 

 uttering the harsh note so similar to that of this species. 



Long Island. Common summer resident, (April 25) May 8 to 

 October 15, and casually November 3. Most abundant in August. 

 ORIENT. Locally common or rare summer resident, April 

 28, 1914 to October 12, 1916. 



