132 FAMILIAR FEATURES OF THE ROADSIDE. 



spot by the edge of the wood ; the eggs so closely 

 resemble the general color-effect of dried leaves, 

 stones, and brown ground that they are hard to dis- 

 cover. Of course the birds build no nests. It is a 

 peculiarity of the night hawk that by reason of the 

 short and slender form of his legs and feet, which are 

 in no wise adapted to grasp a limb crosswise with any 

 firmness, he sits on the branch lengthwise. This is 

 also the case with the whip-poor-will ; I have never 

 seen either bird in any other position on fence rail or 

 tree. 



About the twilight hour the performances of the 

 night hawk on the wing are most extraordinary ; it is 

 not possible for one to miss seeing them in summer 

 time, while passing along the highway just after sun- 

 set. Far above valley and hill he circles, a small 

 bird in appearance (although in reality he measures 

 twenty-three inches across with his wings spread). 

 Slowly and quietly he continues an erratic flight, 

 with apparently no object in view except that of 

 enjoying a little exercise, and uttering the while his 

 shrill whistled "geep, geep, geep" (not unlike the 

 squeaking of a cart wheel). Suddenly we see him 

 pitch over head foremost and fall precipitately sev- 

 enty or eighty feet as though shot ; but he recovers 

 himself immediately and rises to greater heights. 

 Hardly is the recovery complete, however, before a 



