26 WEST VIRGINIA [W. VA. 



W. Ya. Dist. Generally common. Not often heard 011 the low 

 valley bottom-lands along the Ohio River. Bare in the higher 

 elevations. Common elsewhere. 



Nest Eggs placed on leaves or on the ground, with no effort 

 at nest-building. 



Food Nocturnal insects. 



420. Nighthawk (Cliordeiles virginianus) . Male and female, 

 It is most earnestly hoped that these specimen s, with the one 

 Whip-poor-will, may help in clearing up the endless confusion 

 of these two kinds of birds. The Nighthawk is often seen flying 

 about on late summer evenings in great numbers, and is frequently 

 called "Bull-bat". The Whip-poor-will does not come out in the 

 open as the Nighthawk does. The two species should be readily 

 distinguished, even by the casual observer, by the very different 

 notes. The coloring, too, is quite different. Note the difference- 

 in the shape of the tail in the two species. 



Geog. Dist. Northern and eastern North America, west to the 

 Great Plains and central British Columbia, and from Labrador 

 south through tropical America to the Argentine Republic. 



W. Va. Dist. Common, especially in August and early Septem- 

 ber when they pass through this section on their autumn migra- 

 tion flights. 



Nest No nest. Eggs laid on bare ground, on a stone, or, some 

 times, on the roof of a house. I found a nest of this species at 

 one time in Upshur County. In the mountains these birds are 

 heard frequently in the breeding season. Though I searched very 

 carefully one day last summer for a nest on the summit of Spruce 

 Knob, Pendleton Co., I failed to find one. 



Food Flying insects. 



423. Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica}. One adult, These 

 birds do not belong to the Swallow family, though they are called 

 "Chimney Swallows" by many people. Structurally, they are un- 

 like swallows. 



Geog. Dist. Eastern North America from the Fur Countries to 

 Cozumel Island. 



W. Va. Dist. One of our most abundant birds. In "Summer 

 Birds of the West Virginia Spruce Belt" (AUK, Vol. XV, 189*. 

 p. 135) Dr. Rives says, "Occasionally observed". Not very common 

 in the mountainous districts. 



