OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. .:', 



mouldy earth and their most intimate surroundings. 



This species remains with us until about the middle of 

 September, when it retires to its winter quarters in the 

 South. 



The eggs are oblong-oval in shape, and equally obtuse at 

 >oth extremities. The ground-color is a pure creamy-white. 

 which is irregularly spotted and marbled with reddish-brown 

 and purplish-lavender lines and patches, the former predom- 

 inating'. They measure 1.26 inches in length and .89 in 

 width. In many particulars, they resemble those of carol in- 

 aisis* but are purer and more beautiful. There is also no- 

 ticeable a very close resemblance to the eggs of the two Eu- 

 ropean C aprliuiilg'i . 



Chordeiles virginianus, 



The common Night Hawk, as this species is very inappro- 

 priately designated, is quite widely distributed throughout 

 the United States, and breeds wherever found. It ranges 

 from Texas and Florida on the south, to high northern lati- 

 tudes ; and from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the Great 

 Central Plains. At Matamoras, Mr. Dresser discovered it 

 to be a rather abundant summer resident. Throughout the 

 fur countries, Dr. Richardson found it to be an abundant and 

 well-known species. 



By many, this species is often mistaken for the subject of 

 the preceding sketch ; but it differs from it in so many of its 

 habits, as well as in its well-known generic distinctions, as 

 not to be confounded therewith. 



It is crepuscular rather than nocturnal in its habits, which 

 is mainly due to the flight of particular kinds of insects upon 

 which it feeds. 



It arrives in Eastern Pennsylvania about the last week ot 

 April, and is chiefly a deni/en of open fields, and waste 

 grounds along the borders of woods. Unlike vociferus^ it 

 does not hesitate to visit large cities, where from early 

 morning until nightfall, it may be seen upon the wing in 



