42 PASSERES. CAPRIMULGID^E. 



by careless observers for the Chuck-will's-widow, 

 though comparatively a silent species. 



The Potoo is not unfrequently seen in the evening, 

 taking its station soon after sunset on some dead tree 

 or fence-post, or floating by on noiseless wing, like 

 an owl, which the common people suppose it to be. 

 Its plumage has the soft puffy, unwebbed character 

 which marks that of the owls, and which prevents 

 the impact of its wings upon the air from being 

 audible, notwithstanding the power and length of 

 those organs. Now and then it is seen by day ; 

 but it is half concealed in the bushy foliage of 

 some thick tree, which it can with difficulty be 

 induced to quit, distrustful of its powers by day. 

 As it sits in the fading twilight it ever and anon 

 utters a loud and hoarse ho-hoo, and sometimes 

 the same syllables are heard, in a much lower tone, 

 as if proceeding from the depth of the throat. 



The first specimen that fell under my observation 

 was shot in October. On several evenings in suc- 

 cession a large bird had been observed sitting on 

 a particular post near Bluefields Tavern, where it 

 remained undisturbed by passers looking at it, 

 though it was not half a stone's cast from the 

 road-side. At length Sam shot at it, and blew out 

 many feathers, but it flew slowly off to the woods ; 

 uttering, the instant after it was shot, a low croak- 

 ing. The next evening he watched again, and 

 about sunset the bird returned to the same post, 

 when he secured it. It is interesting to observe 

 the similarity in habit to the Flycatchers in select- 

 ing a prominent station, and returning again and 



