CArillMULtHDJ-] — THK (JOATSUCKEUS. 405 



Mr. Drcs.ser t'oiiinl tlu'iii very iilmmliuit iit AlataiiiDriw, iind us tar oast as 

 the Sal (.'oltuadu, lieyoml wliicli liu ilid imt uiout witli any. About dusk, 

 thousands of tliose liirds iuij,dit be suuu tlyin^' in towards the river from the 

 jmiirius. At San Antonio, wlicre Mr. Dresser found botli C. jinpihic and C. 

 kjcnsiii, he never procureil a sinj,de specimen of this bird, nor did Dr. lleer- 

 rnann ever meet with one the-re. 



Dr. Cones says tliese birds are aljundant tlirouj^hout the Territory of 

 Arizona. At Fort \Vhi|ipK) it is a sunnner resident, arrivinji in Ajiril 

 and reniaininj,' until Oetolier, lieiny j)articuhirly numerous in Auj,nist and 

 September. Mr. Drexler made a hirj,'e collection of these birds at Fort 

 IJridger, in Utah, all of which showed sucli constant dillerences from east- 

 ern specimens as to indicate in his opinion the pro])riety of a specitit; 

 separation. 



An egg of this bird taken at Fort Crook, California, by Lieutenant F'ulnor, 

 measures I.Jo inciies in lengtii by .\)2 of an inch in breadtli. While re.sem- 

 Iding in general elfect an egg of V. popctac, it is lighter in colorings, and 

 varies from any of that l)ird I have ever seen. Its ground-color is tliat of 

 clay, over wliicii are diffuseil curious aggregations of small spots and cloud- 

 ings of yellowish-brown, mingled witii- lilac. These markings are (piite 

 small and separate, but are grouped in sucli close proximity into several 

 collections as to give them the appearance of large blotciies ; and the blend- 

 ing of these two shades is so general as to produce the eff'ect of a color 

 quite different from eitiier, excep;. upon a close inspection, or an examina- 

 tion through a magnifying glass. 



This variety was met with at the Forks of the Saskatchewan, in June, 

 1858, by Captain lilakiston, and specimens were obtained on the Saskatche- 

 wan Plains, by M. lionrgeau, in the summer of the same year. The latter 

 also procured its eggs. These are said to have lieen three in number, de- 

 scribed as light olive, l)lotched with black more thickly at one end than 

 the other. No mention of shape is made. This description, incomplete as 

 it is, indicates a great dissimilarity with eggs of this bird, fully identified in 

 the Smithsonian collection. 



The western variety was met with by Mr. Hidgway tiiroughout the entire 

 extent of his route across the Great Basin. It bred everywhere, laying its 

 eggs on the bare ground, beneath a sage-bush, usually on the foot-hills of 

 the mountains, or on the mesas. In August and September they congregate 

 in immense Hocks, ajipearing in the evening. Not the slightest difference 

 in habits, manners, or notes, was observed between this and the eastern 

 Night-Hawk. 



