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Bird - Lore 



for injurious insect pests, fly high in the air, uttering their nasal pee-ark and 

 executing a pecuHar trick for certain members of the band. At the same time 

 they utter a booming sound which attracts the attention of the others. 



The sight of this curious acrobatic courting is more vivid than the usual 

 twittering and cooing maneuvers of other birds. In the mountains of southern 

 California, in July, 192 1, an incident took place which illustrates this admira- 

 bly. Just at twilight, eight birds flying together seemed to be sporting about 

 in the air, continually uttering their nasal pee-ark. Suddenly one would fly 



ADULT PACIFIC NIGHTHAW K ATTEAirTIXG TO ATTRACT ENEMY FROM HER NEST 

 Photographed by Wright M. Pierce, Claremont, Calif. 



about and then drop with the speed of a rocket toward a lower bird, passing 

 close to it and describing a circle below, giving a loud whiff or boom at the 

 end of its dive. 



When this cycle was completed it was repeated again and again, as if the 

 bird were indefatigable in his endeavor to win the attention of the other. 



The bird lays its equal ended eggs, with their marble tracery or unusual 

 rings, upon the pepper-and-salt-like gravel of a hillside among the pines and 

 oaks, usually on a few leaves. There she incubates upon them, a still figure 

 indistinguishable, except at close range. 



