The Whip-poor-will 139 



that people should be superstitious about anything so harmless as a bird, but 

 in rural communities one often finds people who believe much ill luck may 

 happen to them if a Whip-poor-will sings too close to the house. If they were 

 better acquainted with this gentle feathered creature, they would surely know 

 that nothing evil could come from it. 



Many more people have heard this bird call than have ever seen it; for, 

 like the owl, its day begins only when the sun goes down, and before the sun 

 comes up again it has settled to sleep on the dead leaves that cover the ground 

 in the thicker parts of the woods. It appears never to give its call during the 

 daytime. While hunting for wild flowers, you will sometimes come upon its 

 hiding-place. It must sleep with one ear open, for the bird seems always to 

 hear you before you see it, and, on silent wings it will rise and fly quickly out 

 of sight among the bushes. 



If such an experience should happen to one in the month of May or June, 

 it is quite worth while to search the leaves very carefully, for you may have 

 stumbled upon its nest, which, in reality, is no nest at all, but 

 The Nest is simply a place on the leaves which the mother-bird has chosen 



to be the temporary home of her little ones. The mildly 

 spotted, cream-colored eggs so closely resemble the faded, washed-out, last 

 season's leaves on which they are lying that it takes a sharp eye, indeed, to 

 find them. So one should proceed slowly, lest an unfortunate step might 

 crush the two little oblong beauties. Usually one is not quite certain of the 

 exact spot from which the bird flew. On such occasions I sometimes place 

 my hat' or handkerchief on the ground near the place, and, like a dog hunting 

 for a lost trail, begin to walk around the spot, increasing the circle constantly 

 as I go. By this means, sooner or later, one will be pretty sure to find the 

 eggs if they are there. 



If, when the bird flies, it soon comes to the earth again, and appears to be 



sufl'ering from sudden injury, you may be sure that it has a secret that it is 



trying to keep from you, and, by feigning a broken wing, it 



eigning hopes you will follow in an attempt to capture it. If you 



approach the bird, it will fly before you a few yards at a time 



until, having led you away a safe distance from the nest, it will suddenly 



recover, and, rising strong on the wing, you will see it no more. Doubtless 



the eggs are often saved from destruction in this way; for a hunting dog, fox, 



or 'coon, will seek to catch the bird, and entirely overlook the presence of 



eggs or young. 



If the eggs have hatched, you will need to look even closer if you are to 

 be rewarded. The two little Whip-poor-wills, with their soft, downy coats, 

 will lie motionless on the leaves, without even so much as an eyelid moving 

 to betray their presence. Their coloring, too, blends so wonderfully with 

 their surroundings that I sometimes wonder if any enemy is ever able to 

 find them. 



