84 



VERTEBKATA 



THE FOEK-TAILED PSAiCRCS. 



'-■^mm 



THE NIGHT-HAWK. 



Genus PSALURUS : Psalurus. — This includes a very extraordinary South American species, 

 P. macropterus : it has a bright, ruddy demi-collar ornamenting the back part of the neck; 

 the tail is excessively long, and deeply forked ; the two external tail-feathers in the male are much 

 longer than the others. It is a native of Paraguay and Brazil. 



Genus CHORDEILES: Chordeiles. — This includes several American species, one of which is 

 the PiSK or Night-Hawk, C. Virghuanus, familiarly known in all the United States, in Mexico, 

 and the West Indies. It is nine to ten inches long ; upper parts brownish-black, variously mot- 

 tled ; a conspicuous white transverse bar on each wing, above and below ; when the bird is seen 

 flving over, this appears like a large circular spot ; tail-feathers brownish-black, banded with 

 ashy-white. The Night-IIawks usually arrive from the south in May. The eggs, two in number, 

 are laid on the ground, sometimes in the woods, often in a corn-field. As soon as incubation 

 commences, the male keeps a most vigilant watch. He is then more frequently seen playing 

 about in the air over the place, even during the day, mounting by several quick vibrations of 

 the wings, then a few slower, uttering all the while a sharp, harsh squeak, till, having gained the 



