THE WHIP-POOR-WILL. 9? 



as, like owls, they seem then to want that viva- 

 city for which they are distinguished in the 

 morning and evening twilight. 



The whip-poor-will is nine inches and a half 

 long, and nineteen inches in extent. The bill is 

 blackish, a full quarter of an inch long, much 

 stronger than that of the night-hawk, and bent 

 a little at the point. The under mandible arched 

 a little upwards, following the curvation of the 

 upper. The nostrils are prominent and tubular, 

 their openings directed forwards. The mouth is 

 extravagantly large, of a pale flesh-colour within, 

 and beset along the sides with a number of long, 

 thick, elastic bristles, the longest of which ex- 

 tends more than half an inch beyond the point 

 of the bill, and curves inwards. These seem to 

 serve as feelers, to prevent the escape of their 

 prey. The eyes are very large, full, and bluish- 

 black. The plumage is variegated with black, 

 pale cream-brown, and rust colour, sprinkled in 

 such minute <=treaks and spots, as to defy de- 

 cription. The 1>ack is dark, and finely streaked 

 with black." 



We cannot close our account of the whip- 

 poor-will, without giving an amusing extract 

 from the pages of Waterton, which will introduce 

 to your notice some other species of this singular 

 and interesting race of birds. " When the sun 



F 



