AVES— WHIP-POOR-WILL. 575 



near salt marshes, skimming over the meadows in the manner of swallows. 

 Their chief food seems to be insects. When wounded and taken, they at- 

 tempt to intimidate you by opening their mouth to its utmost stretch, throw- 

 ing the head forward, and uttering a kind of guttural whizzing sound, 

 striking violently with their wings, which seem to be their only offensive 

 weapons. In August they steer for the south in vast multitudes, darting 

 after insects as they advance. They are often accompanied by twice their 

 number of swallows. 



The night hawk is nine inches and a half long; the upper parts are deep 

 brown ; the whole body is spotted and sanded with cream color and red- 

 dish. The tail is handsomely forked, and there are no bristles about the 

 bill. 



THE WHIP-POOR-WILL.i 



This is a very singular and celebrated species, universally known over the 

 United States, for its favorite call in spring ; yet, personally, he is little 

 known. The notes of this solitary bird, seem like the voice of an old friend, 

 and are listened to by almost all with great interest. At first they issue 

 from some retired pan of the woods, the glen, or mountain ; in a few eve- 

 nings, perhaps, we hear them from the adjoining coppice — the garden 

 fence — the road before the door, and even from the roof of the dwelling- 

 house, long after the family have retired to rest. He is now a regular ac- 

 quaintance. Every morning and evening his shrill repetitions are heard 



' Capritrvulgus vociferus, WiisoN. 



