THE NIGHTHAWK. 163 



58. Chordeiles virginianus (Gmelin). 



NIGHTHAWK. 



Gttprimulgus virginianus Gmelin, Systema Naturse, T, ii, 1788, 1028. 

 Chordeiles virginianus Swainson, Fauna Boreali Americaua, II, 1831, 496. 

 (B 114, C 267, E 357, C 399, U 420.) 



Geographical range: Eastern North America; north in the Dominion of Canada 

 to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, northern Ontario (Moose Factory), and Keewatin 

 (Fort Churchhill), in latitude 59°, and thence in a northwesterly direction to the Mackenzie 

 Eiver Valley, in the vicinity of Fort Good Hope, to about latitude 65°; west in the United 

 States to the eastern border of the Great Plains and, sporadically only, along the southern 

 boundary of the Dominion of Canada and the northern border of the United States, in the 

 wooded districts, to southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern Cali- 

 fornia; south in winter to the Bahama Islands, Central America, and the greater part of 

 South America. 



The range of the Nighthawk, also known as "Bull-bat," "Mosquito Havrk," 

 "Will o' the Wisp," "Pisk," "Piramidig," and sometimes erroneously as "Whip- 

 poor-will" (being frequently mistaken for this species), is quite an extended one. 

 It is only a summer visitor throughout the United States and the Dominion of 

 Canada, generally arriving from its winter haunts in the Bahamas, Central and 

 South America in the latter half of April, reaching the more northern parts 

 about a month later, and leaving the latter again in large straggling flocks about 

 the end of August, moving leisurely southward and disappearing- gradually 

 along our southern border about the latter part of October. Its migrations are 

 very extended and cover the greater part of the American continent. 



Its breeding range in the United States and the Dominion of Canada is 

 coextensive with its geographical distribution. On the Atlantic Seaboard it 

 reaches the northern limits of its range in about latitude 51'^, in the Province 

 of Quebec; and although it has been recorded from Labrador, I fail to find any 

 positive evidence of its occurrence there. Several specimens have been taken 

 at Moose Factory, northern Ontario; and among a collection of skins from Fort 

 Churchill, on the west shore of Hudson Bay, in about latitude 59°, now in the 

 Edinburgh Museum, is an adult female taken by Dr. Grillespie, jr., while stationed 

 there as an officer of the Hudson Bay Company, previous to 1845. Thence it 

 probably ranges in a northwestern direction to the Mackenzie River Valley, 

 north of Fort Simpson. Mr. James Lockhart sent a skin to the United States 

 National Museum, obtained near Fort Grood Hope, Northwest Territory, in 

 about latitude 66°, which is the northernmost record I have been able to find. 

 The western limits of the Nighthawk are not so easily defined. In this direc- 

 tion it reaches the eastern borders of the Grreat Plains, and it is also found 

 sporadically tlu'oughout the better-timbered parts along' the southern boundary 

 of the Dominion of Canada and the northern border of the United States, west to 

 southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California (Mount 

 Shasta), where it is replaced in the more open portions of these regions by the 

 lighter-colored western representative, Chordeiles virginianus lienryi. I was quite 



