32 THE ORNITHOLOGISTS’ AND OOLOGISTS’ SEMI-ANNUAL. 
The Nighthawk is by no means a nocturnal bird, being often seen 
hours before twilight and sometimes even in the glare of noontide. 
It is much persecuted at times by sportsmen, its winding, twisting 
and rapid flight affording excellent practice in wing-shooting. 
Altogether, the Nighthawk is one of the most interesting and te- 
markable birds we have, and a careful investigation of its habits will 
amply repay any observer, besides affording him the chance of being 
able to solve the mystery of the curious notes above mentioned. 
THE NASHVILLE WARBLER, 
Helminthophila ruficapilla. 
BY WM. L. KELLS, LISTOWEL, ONT., CANADA. 
The life-history of this bird is yet, to a great extent, wrapped 
in obscurity. Sometimes it is numerous in the spring migration ; 
again it is comparatively rare. It can only yet be regarded 
as a migrant in the south and central parts of Ontario, as no cer- 
tain record has yet been made of its nesting, or making its summer 
home in this localty ; though it is very probable that more of this ge- 
nus of birds may remain during the summer, and nest in the deep, 
swampy woods of this Province, than is now generally known. 
In my early days, while rambling in the forest, or at work in the 
woods in the summer time, I have seen nests of little birds, never 
since discovered by me, and almost every year since I began to form 
my Oological collection, I have taken one or more nests of Warblers 
previously unknown to me, and as I occasionally catch glimpses of 
others in my hunting excursions in the summer season, I am led to 
believe, that as time progresses and more attention is given to the 
subject, more nests of these birds will be discovered and described 
by our rising Ornithologists, and among others that of the Nashville 
Warbler. This is the more probable in the case of this species, from 
the fact that its general habitat is in deep, swampy places, where few 
persons interested in Ornithology care to penetrate, and also from 
the fact that specimens of this species are occasionally observed on 
the margins of swampy woods, in the summer season. 
