The Birds’ Calendar 
one in a hundred of those who are familiar with 
the sounds of both these birds, who has any idea 
of their appearance. As regards the night-hawk, 
we may well say sound instead of mofe, for its 
noise could hardly be called musical, even in the 
sense in which the rustling of leaves or the 
lowing of cattle could be so considered ; usually 
the only evidence of its presence is its indescrib- 
able squeak, as it flies hither and thither—in- 
visible in the dusk at the height at which it 
usually remains, its great cavernous mouth wide 
open for catching the insects on which it chiefly 
subsists. It can sometimes be seen in the day- 
time, but the sound it commonly makes, as well 
as the strange ‘‘ booming ’’ when it suddenly 
drops from a great height, the production of 
which is not understood, are rarely heard save 
in the twilight. 
The night-hawk is among the few of the land 
birds that make little or no pretence at nest- 
building, although many among the water fowl 
show an equal want of skill or interest in this 
matter. In general among land birds, the larger 
the bird the more clumsy is the nest, and this 
results not altogether from the coarser materials 
necessarily used, but in many cases from an evi- 
dent lack of the sense of artistic workmanship. 
186 
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