CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 2. PASSERES. 85 



highest point, he suddenly precipitates himself, head foremost, and with great rapidity, down sixty 

 or eighty feet, wheeling up again as suddenly, at which instant is heard a loud, booming sound, 

 very much resembling that produced by blowing strongly into the bung-hole of an empty hogs- 

 head; and which is doubtless produced by the sudden expansion of his capacious mouth while he 

 passes through the air, as exhibited in the upper figure in the engraving. He again mounts by 

 alternately quick and leisurely motions of the wings, playing about as he ascends, uttering 

 his usual hoarse squeak till, in a few minutes, he again dives with the same impetuosity and 

 booming sound as before. The object of this performance, which is confined to the male, is not 

 known. 



When the weather happens to be wet and gloomy, the night-hawks are seen abroad at all hours 

 of the day, generally at a considerable height ; their favorite period, however, is from two hours 

 before sunset, until dusk. At such times they seem all vivacity, darting about in the air in every 

 direction, making frequent short, sudden turnings, as if busily engaged in catching insects. Even 

 in the hottest, clearest weather, they are occasionally seen abroad, squeaking at short intervals. 

 They are also often found sitting in the highway, or along the fences, basking in the sun. Near 

 the sea-shore, in the vicinity of extensive salt marshes, they are likewise very numerous, skim- 

 ming over the meadows, in the manner of swallows, until it is so dark that the eye can no 

 longer follow them. When wounded and taken, they attempt to intimidate you by opening 

 their mouth to its utmost stretch, throwing the head forward, and uttering a kind of guttural, 

 whizzing sound, striking also violently with their wings, which seem to be their only oflPensive 

 weapons ; for they never attempt to strike with the bill or claws. About the middle of August 

 they begin to move oflf toward the south, at which season they may be seen almost every even- 

 ing, fi'om five o'clock until after sunset, passing in widely-scattered multitudes, all steering toward 

 the south. 



Other species of this genus are the C. sopifi, common during the summer in Texas ; C. Henryi, 

 found in New Mexico; C. Brasilianus and C. acutipcnnis, &c. 



Genus SCOTORNIS : Scotomis. — This includes the African Long-tailed Night-Jar, S. 

 clitnatums, thirteen inches long, of a light brown, varied with dark freckles; common in 

 Senegal. 



Genus MACRODIPTERYX : Macrodipteryx. — This includes the Long-shafted Goat-Sucker 

 or Pennant-winged Night-Jar, M. Africanus. This bird is mottled with brown and white, and 

 is eight inches long ; its most remarkable feature is a feather from ten to fifteen inches long, in- 

 serted in each wing, immediately between the primary and secondary quills. This feather con- 

 sists of a shaft naked for two-thirds its length, and webbed for the remainder. It appears to be 

 a mere ornament, as no use is known for so strange an appendage ; it is extremely flexible, mov- 

 ing with the least breath of wind, and therefore offering no obstruction in flight. This species is 

 found in Sierra Leone. 



Genus PROITHERA: Proilhera. — This includes the Day Goat-Sucker, P, diurna^ ten 

 inches long ; of Brazil and Paraguay. 



Genus POD ARGUS : Podaryus. — This includes several species : the Gold River Goat- 

 Sucker, P. humeralis, is a large bird, variegated with ashy-brown and dirty yellow above ; 

 tesselated beneath with black stripes and dirty -yellow bands; length twenty inches. It has 

 the power of shifting its outer toe backward, and captures its insect prey by creeping about 

 on the trees; ^ound in Australia. 



The MoRs-PoRK Bird, P. Cuviei-i, is also an Australian species, its name oeing derived from 

 its cry, ^'- More pork! More pork T — loudly and distinctly uttered in rapid succession in the forests. 

 This is considered a bird of ill omen by the colonists. 



Genus NYCTIBIUS : Nyctihius, includes the Great Ibijau — the Great Flying Toad of Buffbn 

 — N. grandis. It is of the size of a barn-owl, its length being twelve inches ; plumage brown, 

 speckled with black ; it haunts solitary places, and lives in hollow trees. 



The PoToo Bird, N. Jamaicencis, resembles the common goat-sucker in appearance ; its dis- 

 position is sedentary, it being frequently seen perched on a post or dead tree looking out for its 

 insect prey. 



