154 VIRGINIAN GOATSUCKER. 



neck, a few orange spots ; beneath the eyes grey 

 brown : chin of the male with a triangular white 

 spot, varied with orange on the lower parts : under 

 parts of the body reddish white, barred with dusky: 

 tail similar to the wings ; the two outer feathers 

 with a white spot near the end : legs flesh-colour : 

 female with a rufous white spot on the chin, and 

 without the white on the quills and tail-feathers. 



This species of Goatsucker, which is known in 

 the United States of America by the name of . 

 Whip-poor -will, arrives in Virginia about the latter 

 end of April : it does not make a nest ; but la^s 

 its eggs, which are two in number, and not much 

 unlike those of the Popetue Goatsucker, except 

 in being rather darker in colour, on the bare 

 ground in May: its food consists of the larger 

 moths, grasshoppers, and such-like insects, which 

 it does not always catch while on the wing, but 

 will frequently sit upon a post or rail, and leap 

 up after them, as they fly by : it begins its note, 

 from whence its American name is taken, about 

 sunset, and continues it nearly till sunrise, with- 

 out intermission ; and very often five or six may 

 be heard at once : it is said to be very good for 

 food : it departs in September towards the south. 



