102 



THE VIRGINIAN GOAT-SUCKER. 



their extremities. The shafts are very slight indeed, and as the webbed ends are easily acted 

 upon by the wind, they are continually moving, and float about in the breeze in a most grace- 

 ful manner. The inner web of these curious feathers is nearly two inches in width at its 

 broadest part, while the outer web is barely one fourth of that measurement. 



The object of these curious appendages is not known. They are only found in the male 

 bird, and evidently bear an analogy to the train of the peacock and the long tail-feathers of 

 the pheasant among the birds, as well as to the beards, horns, tusks, manes, and similar 

 appendages of male quadrupeds. The plumage of the Leona Mghtjar is very prettily marked 

 with spots and bars of rusty-red and black upon the usual brown ground. Every primary 

 feather possesses nine rusty -red spots, and as many of a black hue. and there are many other 

 spots and bars scattered over the body and wings. There is a considerable amount of creamy 

 white upon the scapularies, a few white mottlings upon the throat of the male, and a reddish- 

 white stripe down the outer web of the two exterior tail-feathers. 



The beak of this species is not so powerful as in many of its relatives, but the vibrissse 

 are long and well developed. The wings are long, overpassing the tip of the tail while the 

 bird is at rest, and showing that the powers of flight are considerable. The bird is not a 

 large one, measuring only eight or ten inches in total length. It is a native of Western 

 Africa. 



THE VIRGINIAN GOAT-SUCKER, MOSQUITO HAWK, or NIGHT-HAWK, inhabits the northern 

 parts of the American continent, and in the summer months is seen even in the Arctic 

 regions. 



It is not so exclusively nocturnal a bird as most of the Goat-suckers, but will voluntarily 

 leave its home on a cloudy day, and commence its task of hunting after flies, moths, beetles, 



VIRGINIAN GOAT-SUCKER.- Otordeife* virginianas. 



and other insects on which it feeds. It is a bird of vigorous and active wing, and follows its 

 insect prey even into the loftier regions of the air, where it seems as much at its ease as the 

 swift or the swallow. While chasing the insects, the Night-hawk constantly utters a shrill, 

 squeaking kind of cry, reminding the spectator of the screaming cries of the common swift. 

 It also has a curious habit of hovering over its mate as she sits on her eggs, darting down upon 

 her from a considerable elevation, and then suddenly sweeping up again with a loud booming 

 sound, occasioned either by the wings or by the vocal organs. This strange manoeuvre is con- 

 stantly repeated, and appears to be performed for the purpose of showing a delicate attention 

 to the sitting bird, and amusing her during her long and tedious task. 



