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A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE 

 DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS 



Official Organ of the Audubon Societies 



Vol. V March — April, 1903 No. 2 



A Sierra Nighthawk Family 



BY FLORENCE MERRIAM BAILEY 



NEAR our camp on the crest of the Sierra Nevada above Donner 

 Lake, when moving our pack-train from one of the narrow 

 streaks of grass between the timber and rock of the summit 

 across a bare granite ridge to another patch of feed, we happened on a 

 family of Nighthawks. The two old birds had been seen here before, 

 beaten back by the wind which swept fiercely over the bleak northern 

 ridge; and now, as we crossed a shelf of rock and gravel, with only here 

 and there a lone pine or hemlock, the brooding bird sprang from under 

 the bell-mare's feet, trailing off in distress. 



At first sight she looked as big as a Grouse, and when second glance 

 proved her a Nighthawk I was puzzled to tell what there was about her 

 trailing to give the curious effect of height. Hurrying my horse down, and 

 leaving him with the rest of the bunch, 1 came back to study her at leisure. 

 As I approached, she promptly started up again. In the suddenness 

 of her spring and the confusion of her fluttering she appeared to be 

 walking on the tips of her wings; but in reality, as she raised her body 

 on her long pinions, she dropped her tail straight down, keeping it down 

 while she trailed, in that way giving height to her figure. When she 

 lit she simulated the wounded bird better than any I have ever seen 

 decoy, fairly flopping down as if her feet had been amputated, and flut- 

 tering her wings in utter helplessness. 



She lit on a flat granite surface, and her streaks and mottlings matched 

 the markings of the rock so well that at a little distance only her white 

 wing-spot caught the eye; but she let me come so near that I could see her 

 white superciliary, creamy throat -patch, wide flat head and reticent mouth. 



After hunting vainly over the rocks and gravel for some time, I dis- 

 covered a piece of egg-shell, its faint greenish ground color almost hidden 

 by specks of brown; but, after diligent search, I went back to camp 

 without finding the former occupant of the shell. 



