CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW. 437 



two of our species, the Short-winged or Chuck- wilPs-widow, 

 and the Long-winged, or Night Hawk, to both of which they 

 indiscriminately attribute the notes and habits of the Whip- 

 poor-will. 



The Chuck-will 's-widow,jso called from its notes which seem 

 exactly to articulate those words, arrives on the sea coast of 

 Georgia about the middle of March, and in Virginia early in 

 April. It commences its singular call generally in the evening, 

 soon after sunset, and continues it with short occasional inter- 

 ruptions for several hours. Towards morning these repetitions 

 are renewed, and continue until dawn has fairly appeared. Du- 

 ring the day it is altogether silent. This note, or call, instantly 

 attracts the attention of a stranger, and is strikingly different 

 from that of the Whip-poor-will. In sound and articulation it 

 seems plainly to express the words which have been applied to 

 it (Chuck-will's-widoiv), pronouncing each syllable leisurely 

 and distinctly, putting the principal emphasis on the last word. 

 In a still evening it may be heard at the distance of nearly a 

 mile, the tones of its voice being stronger and more full than 

 those of the Whip-poor-will, who utters his with much greater 

 rapidity. In the Chickasaw country, and throughout the whole 

 Mississippi territory, I found the present species very numerous 

 in the months of April and May, keeping up a continued noise 

 during the whole evening, and in moonlight throughout the 

 whole of the night. 



The flight of this bird is low, skimming about at a few feet 

 above the surface of the ground, frequently settling on old logs, 

 or on the fences, and from thence sweeping around in pursuit 

 of various winged insects that fly in the night. Like the Whip- 

 poor-will it prefers the declivities of glens and other deeply sha- 

 ded places, making the surrounding mountains ring with echoes 

 the whole evening. I several times called the attention of the 

 Chickasaws to the notes of this bird, on which occasions they 

 always assumed a grave and thoughtful aspect; but it appeared 

 to me that they made no distinction between the two species; 



