448 WHIP-POOR-WILL. 



ficient during the day, as, like Owls, they seem then to want 

 that vivacity for which they are distinguished in the morning 

 and evening twilight. They are rarely shot at, or molested; and 

 from being thus transiently seen in the obscurity of dusk, or in 

 the deep umbrage of the woods, no wonder their particular 

 markings of plumage should be so little known, or that they 

 should be confounded with the Night-hawk, whom in general 

 appearance they so much resemble. The female begins to lay 

 about the second week in May, selecting for this purpose the 

 most unfrequented part of the wood, often where some brush, 

 old logs, heaps of leaves, &e. had been lying, and always on a 

 dry situation. The eggs are deposited on the ground, or on the 

 leaves, not the slightest appearance of a nest being visible. 

 These are usually two in number, in shape much resembling 

 those of the Night-hawk, but having the ground colour much 

 darker, and more thickly marbled with dark olive. The pre- 

 cise period of incubation I am unable to say. 



In traversing the woods one day, in the early part of June, 

 along the brow of a rocky declivity, a Whip-poor-will rose from 

 my feet and fluttered along, sometimes prostrating herself and 

 beating the ground with her wings, as if just expiring. Aware 

 of her purpose, I stood still and began to examine the space 

 immediately around me for the eggs or young, one or other of 

 which I was certain must be near. After a long search, to my 

 mortification, I could find neither; and was just going to aban- 

 don the spot, when I perceived somewhat like a slight mouldi- 

 ness among the withered leaves, and on stooping down discov- 

 ered it to be a young Whip-poor-will, seemingly asleep, as its 

 eye-lids were nearly closed; or perhaps this might only be to 

 protect its tender eyes from the glare of day. I sat down by it 

 on the leaves, and drew it as it then appeared (see fig. 3.). It 

 was probably not a week old. All the while I was thus engaged 

 it neither moved its body, nor opened its eyes more than half; 

 and I left it as I found it. After I had walked about a quarter 

 of a mile from the spot, recollecting that I had left a pencil be- 



