416. 



GOATSUCKERS AND SWIFTS 

 CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW. 



Antrostomus carolinensis. 

 Range. South Atlantic and Gulf States, 

 breeding north to Virginia and Indiana, and 

 west to Arkansas and eastern Texas. 



These birds are abundant summer residents 

 in the southern portions of their range, but as 



Chuck -will's- widow 



Grayish white 



they are silent and hiding in the woods during 

 the day time, they are not as popularly known 

 as are most birds. They rarely fly during the 

 day time unless disturbed from their roosting 

 place which is on the ground under underbrush 

 or in hollow logs. Their notes, which are a rapid and repeatedly uttered whis- 

 tling repetition of their name, are heard until late in the night. They nest dur- 

 ing April, May or June, laying two eggs on the ground amid the leaves in woods 

 or scrubby underbrush. The eggs are grayish to creamy white in color, hand- 

 somely marked with shades of lilac, gray and brownish; size 1.40 x 1.00. 



417. WHIP-POOR-WILL. Antrostomus vociferus vociferus. 



Range. North America east of the Plains ; north to the southern parts of the 

 British possessions; winters along the Gulf coast and southward. 



This species is well known, by sound, in nearly all parts of its range, but 

 comparatively few ever observed the bird, and probably the greater number 

 mistake the Nighthawk for this species. The two species can readily be dis- 

 tinguished at a distance by the absence of any pronounced white marking in 



ths wings, and by the white tips to the outer 

 tail feathers in the present species, while the 

 Night Hawk has a prominent white band across 

 the tail, but the top is black, and the tail slight- 

 ly forked. The Whip-poor-will, rarely leaves 

 its place of concealment before dark, and is 

 never, seen flying about cities, as are the Night- 

 hawks. In their pursuit 

 of insects, they glide 

 like a shadow over 

 fields and woods, their 

 soft plumage giving 

 forth no sound as their 

 wings cleave the air. 

 Until late at night, their 

 whistling cry "whip- 

 poor-will," repeated at 



intervals, rings out in all wooded hilly dis- 

 tricts. Their two eggs are deposited on the 

 ground among dead leaves, generally in dense 

 woods. They are grayish white or cream color 

 marbled with pale brown and gray, with faint 

 er markings of lilac. Size 1.50 x .85. 

 263 



Creamy white 



Whip-poor-will 



