WHIP-POOR-WILL. 447 



ling house, long after the family have retired to rest. Some of 

 the more ignorant and superstitious consider this near approach 

 as foreboding no good to the family, nothing less than sickness, 

 misfortune or death to some of its members; these visits, how- 

 ever, so often occur without any bad consequences, that this 

 superstitious dread seems on the decline. 



He is now a regular acquaintance. Every morning and evenr 

 ing his shrill and rapid repetitions are heard from the adjoining 

 woods, and when two or more are calling out at the same time, 

 as is often the case in the pairing season, and at no great dis- 

 tance from each other, the noise, mingling with the echoes 

 from the mountains, is really surprising. Strangers, in parts of 

 the country where these birds are numerous, find it almost im- 

 possible for some time to sleep; while to those long acquainted 

 with them, the sound often serves as a -lullaby to assist their 

 repose. 



These notes seem pretty plainly to articulate the words which 

 have been generally applied to them, Whip-poor-will r , the first 

 and last syllables being uttered with great emphasis, and the 

 whole in about a second to each repetition; but when two or 

 more males meet, their whip-poor-will altercations become much 

 more rapid and incessant, as if each were straining to overpower 

 or silence the other. When near, you often hear an introduc- 

 tory cluck between the notes. At these times, as well as at al- 

 most all others, they fly low, not more than a few feet from the 

 surface, skimming about the house and before the door, alight- 

 ing on the wood pile, or settling on the roof. Towards mid- 

 night they generally become silent, unless in clear moonlight, 

 when they are heard with little intermission till morning. If 

 there be a creek near, with high precipitous bushy banks, they 

 are sure to be found in such situations. During the day they sit 

 in the most retired, solitary and deep shaded parts of the woods, 

 generally on high ground, where they repose in silence. When 

 disturbed they rise within a few feet, sail low and slowly 

 through the woods for thirty or forty yards, and generally set- 

 tle on a low branch or on the ground. Their sight appears de- 



