AXTROSTOMUS VOCIFERUS. 203 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of eiglit specimens from Pennsylvania nnd Florida. Langth, 9'75; stretch, 18'75; wing,5'75; 

 (nil, 4'55; Kill, '17; tarsus, '65. Longest specimen, 10'30; greatest extent of wing, 19'4t>; longest wing, 6'70; tail, 5' 10; bill, 

 55; tarsus, -00. Shortest specimen, n- 15.: smallest extent of wing, 19 - 00; shortest wing, 5'75; tail, 4'10; bill, '40; tarsus, 

 f)0. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



AS-, mere hollows scratched in the ground among the leaves, no material being used. A secluded locality is always 

 I, usually among thickets. 



I, two in number, perfectly elliptical in form, very delicate creamy-white in color, spotted and blotched irregularly 

 with lilac, pale lilac and pale brown. Dimensions from l'20x '75 to 1'25 x '80. 



HABITS. 



I have mentioned elsewhere that the steep sides of the Alleghany Mountains are cov- 

 ered with a thick growth of trees which, on account of the scarcity of the soil, are, even 

 at the base of the elevations, quite low and as we ascend, we find them more dwarfed, 

 until on the summit, they are little better than shrubs. The abrupt inclines are strewed 

 with fragments of rocks of varying size but some of them are quite large and as they are 

 well shaded in summer, they form admirable resting places for the Whippoorwills.- In fact, 

 I never before saw so many in any one locality, as every glen or nook appeared to be in- 

 habited by them. The twilight comes on somewhat prematurely in those deep valleys and 

 while the highest mountain tops are gleaming in the rays of the setting sun, the lower slopes 

 are enshrouded with rapidly gathering darkness. The lays of the diurnal songsters have 

 ceased and naught is heard save the occasional chirp of a belated Robin as he hastens to 

 his roost in the alder thicket by the brook side; then all is still. After the noise and bus- 

 tle with which the numerous feathered tribes always end the day, the first hush of evening 

 seems most profound. Then it is that the opening notes of the Whippoorwills float out up- 

 on the air. The first which utters his cry strikes out boldly and renders his lay distinctly 

 and well but the echo of his effort has not died away before it is answered by another, then 

 another begins, and soon the entire mountain sides are ringing with their melody. So 

 abundant arc the birds that it is impossible at times to catch a single note, all being blend- 

 ed, for when the Whippoorwills become excited, the song which, at first, is given with 

 snllirient deliberation to enable one to distinguish the separate utterances, is poured forth 

 with such rapidity as to sound like an uninterrupted stream of notes, and this continues 

 until the birds cease, apparently exhausted. As there are, at least, a dozen birds engaged 

 in singing at one time and as each tries to outdo the others in rapidity of execution, the 

 noise produced by them is very confusing. 



All these particular outbursts are evidently caused by a feeling of rivalry, for it is 

 only exhibited to the extent of which I speak, during the time when the males are courting 

 their mates. The silent females are doubtlessly expected to be guided in their choice by 

 the celerity with which the song is given; in short, in select Whippoorwillian circles, he 

 who utters the greatest number of notes in the shortest space of time is considered the fin- 

 est singer. 



If any one who had never before heard the song of the Whippoorwills, should chance 

 to hear them at such a time as I have described, he would be greatly disappointed in their 



