676 



BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



that habitat to its relative, the Night-hawk. This species was also- 

 heard near the Canadian and the Cimarron, en rmite from Fort Elliott, 

 Texas, to Port Dodge, Kansas. 



Chordeiles virginianus, (Briss.) Bp. — Night-hawk. 



Commonly known among the hunters and plainsmen as the "Bull- 

 bat", from its attempts to rival the musical notes of the " bull-frog". These 

 birds generally came about us several hours before sunset, whether 

 camped on the summit of the Staked Plain or in a valley by the water. 

 Along Red River they were particularly friendly, and' flew about and 

 through the camp, passing within a few. feet of us here, there, and every- 

 where in search of insects. In the daytime, they could be easily ap- 

 proached as they sat upon the prairie crouching and lying so close to 

 the ground that even the merest bunch of the short grass seemed to 

 protect them from the fine shot used. Whilst several of our party were 

 riding across a desert stretch down from the head of the Palo Duro, one 

 of 'the horses almost trod upon a mother on her eggs, when she jumped 

 jumped aside, fell, fluttered a few feet farther, and dropped utterly help- 

 less; her wing was apparently too broken to use, and in her vain attempts 

 to rise, she gave forth the most piercing, touching cries that wounded bird 

 ever uttered. Altogether, it was one of the best decoys ever witnessed, 

 quite surpassing the Quail's execution. Although aware of the trick, she 

 was followed by one of the party ; her delusion was continued in a zig- 

 zag line, keeping not more than six to ten feet away, for a hundred 

 yards, when, feeling that the original spot was surely lost, she flew away 

 as happy as a mother bird could be after having saved her family. 



One specimen differs slightly in appearance from the usual style of 

 the species, and has white spots upon six of the outer primaries. Having 

 been sent to Dr. Cones for his examination, he returned it, conflrming 

 its identification as ^^ virginiamis, although, as might be expected from 

 the locality, it tends toward var. henryi''\ Other specimens seemed to 

 be more decidedly like this variety. 



