238 THE WHIP-POOR-WILL. 



breed in the lakes and marshes in all this country, 

 while myriads more continue their flight to the vast 

 wildernesses that lie along the shores of the northern 

 sea. 



" It is worthy of notice that the whip-poor-will seems 

 to prefer those woodlands which occupy elevated situa- 

 tions, seldom being heard in low swampy districts. 

 The 'Barrens' of Kentucky are much frequented by 

 this bird, whose somewhat plaintive notes resound 

 from among the pines in every direction. Clayton 

 says : ' Their cry is pretty much like the sound of the 

 pronunciation of the words "whip-poor-will," with a 

 kind of clucking noise between every other, or every 

 two or three cries ; and they lay the accent very strong 

 upon the last word, ivitt, and least of all upon the middle 

 one. 



" ' The Indians say these birds were never known till 

 a great massacre was made of their country-folks by 

 the English, and that they are the souls or departed 

 spirits of the massacred Indians. Abundance of people 

 look upon them as birds of ill omen, and are very 

 melancholy if one of them happens to light on their 

 house or near their door, and set up their cry (as they 

 will sometimes do upon the very threshold) ; for they 

 verily believe one of the family will die very soon 

 after/ 



"As you have, of course, over and over again re- 

 marked, the whip-poor-will utters his note until mid- 

 night, except on bright moonlight nights. He then 



