276 CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW. 



themselves much about the matter, imagined the transportation to be per- 

 formed under the wings of the old bird. The account of the Negroes 

 appearing to me more likely to be true than that of the farmers, I made 

 up my mind to institute a strict investigation of the matter. The follow- 

 ing is the result. 



When the Chuck-will's-widovv, either male or female (for each sits al- 

 ternately) has discovered that the eggs have been touched, it ruffles its 

 feathers and appears extremely dejected for a minute or two, after which 

 it emits a low murmuring cry, scarcely audible to me, as I lay concealed 

 at a distance of not more than eighteen or twentv yards. At this time I 

 have seen the other parent reach the spot, flying so low over the ground 

 that I thought its little feet must have touched it, as it skimmed along, 

 and after a few low notes and some gesticulations, all indicative of great 

 distress, take an egg in its large mouth, the other bird doing the same, 

 when they would fly off" together, skimming closely over the ground, un- 

 til they disappeared among the branches and trees. But to what distance 

 they remove their eggs, I have never been able to ascertain ; nor have I 

 ever had an opportunity of witnessing the removal of the young. Should 

 a person, coming upon the nest when the bird is sitting, refrain from 

 touching the eggs, the bird returns to them and sits as before. This 

 fact I have also ascertained by observation. 



I wish I could have discovered the peculiar use of the pectinated clatv 

 which this bird has on each foot ; but, reader, this remains one of the 

 many desiderata in ornithology, and I fear, with me at least, will continue 

 so. 



The Chuck-willVwidow manifests a strong antipathy towards all 

 snakes, however harmless they may be. Although these birds cannot in 

 any way injure the snakes, they alight near them on all occasions, and try 

 to frighten them away, by opening their prodigious mouth, and emitting 

 a strong hissing murmur. It was after witnessing one of these occur- 

 rences, which took place at early twilight, that the idea of representing 

 these birds in such an occupation struck me. The beautiful little snake, 

 gliding along the dead branch, between two Chuck-wiUVwidows, a male 

 and a female, is commonly called the Harlequin Snake, and is, I believe, 

 quite harmless. 



The food of the bird now under consideration consists entirely of all 

 sorts of insects, among which the larger species of moths and beetles are 

 very conspicuous. The long bristly feathers at the base of the mandibles 



