NIGHTHAWKS AND WHIP-POOR-WILLS 333 



ri8 x '84. Date, Raleigh, N. C., May 2; Cambridge, May 26; Lake City, 

 Minn., May 20; se. Minn., May 26. 



In walking through rather densely grown woods I have sometimes 

 been surprised by having a Whip-poor-will fly up from beneath my 

 feet and disappear in the surrounding growth. I say surprised, because 

 the bird's flight is as noiseless as a moth's, and this unusual ghostly 

 silence is almost as startling as the whir of a Grouse. 



The Whip-poor-will's day begins when the sun goes down. Then 

 he passes out into bushy fields near his home, and, flying low, catches 

 his supper on the wing. Between courses he rests on some low perch, 

 and gives utterance to the notes familiar to many who have never 

 seen their author. Whip' -poor-will' , whip' -poor-will' he calls, rapidly 

 and with unexpected snap and vigor. If one is quite near the singer, 

 a preliminary chuck may be heard before each call. These notes are 

 given for about two hours after sunset and for a short time before 

 sunrise. 



It is a singular fact that, in spite of the marked difference in their 

 habits and notes, the Nighthawk and Whip-poor-will are frequently 

 considered to be the same species. It is not the only case, however,' 

 where the notes of some species difficult of observation have been attrib- 

 uted to a species whose habits render it conspicuous. 



420. Chordeiles virginianus virginianus (GmeL). NIGHTHAWK. 

 (Fig. 55.) Ad. of 1 . Upperparts black, irregularly marked with whitish, 

 cream-buff, or ochraceous-buff ; primaries fuscous, crossed in the middle 

 by a conspicuous white bar which rarely reaches the outer vane of the first 

 primary; tail fuscous or black, with broken bars of cream-buff and a white 

 band near the end on all but the middle feathers ; throat with a broad white 

 band ; chin and upper breast black, the feathers tipped with ochraceous-buff, 

 cream-buff, or white; the rest of the underparts barred with black and white, 

 sometimes tinged with buff. Ad. 9. Similar, but with no white on the tail, 

 throat-patch ochraceous-buff, underparts more or less washed with ochra- 

 ceous-buff. L., lO'OO; W., 7'85; T., 4'60; B., '25. 



Range. N. and S. A. Breeds from s. Yukon, cen. Mackenzie, cen. 

 Keewatin, n. Que., and N. F. s. to n. parts of Gulf States and w. to edge 

 of Plains from Minn, to ne. Tex.; winters s. to- Argentina. 



Washington, not common S. R. ; abundant T. V., Apl. 19-Oct. 8. Ossin- 

 ing, common S. R., May 9-Oct. 11. Cambridge, rare S. R., common T. V., 

 May 15-Sept. 25. N. Ohio, locally common S. R., May 1-Sept. 20. Glen 

 Ellyn, not common S. R., common T. V., May 1-Oct. 14. SE. Minn, 

 common S. R., May 4-Sept. 30. 



E\jgs, 2, laid on the bare ground or a flat rock in open fields, rarely on 

 the roof of a house, dull white, evenly marked with small, irregularly shaped 

 blotches or fine specklings of grayish brown or brownish gray, 1*20 x '86. 

 Date, Beaufort, S. C., May 7; Chester Co., Pa., May 24; New London, Ct., 

 June 1; Cambridge, June 5; se. Minn., June 7. 



In wooded regions the Nighthawk passes the day perched length- 

 wise on a limb, but on the plains he roosts upon the ground, where his 

 colors harmonize with his surroundings. Soon after sunset he mounts 

 high in the air to course for insects. Batlike he flies erratically about, 

 and at more or less regular intervals utters a loud nasal peent, this call 

 being followed by two or three unusually quick, flitting wing-beats. 



