CHUCK- WILLS-WIDOW. -277 



of these birds no doubt contribute greatly to prevent the insects from 

 escaping, after any portion of them lias entered the mouth of the bird. 



These birds become silent as soon as the young are hatched, but are 

 heard again before their departiu'e towards the end of summer. At this 

 season, however, their cry is much less frequently heard than in spring. 

 They leave the United States all of a sudden, about the middle of the 

 month of August. 



Caprimulgus CAROLiNEsrsis, Giiiel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 1028. — Lalh. Ind. Ornitli. 



vol. ii. p. 5Si.— Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 61. 

 Carolina Goatsucker, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 592. 

 •Chuck-will's-widow, Caprimulgus carolinensis, Wils. Amer. Omith. vol. vi. 



p. 95. PI. 54 fig. 2. 



" Adult Male. Plate LI I. Fig. 1. 



Bill extremely short, feeble, opening to beyond the eyes, making the 

 mouth when open of enormous dimensions ; upper mandible arched in 

 its dorsal outUne, very broad at the base, suddenly contracted towards 

 the tip, which is compressed and rather obtuse; lower mandible a little 

 decurved at the tip. Nostrils basal, oval, prominent, covered above by a 

 membrane. Head disproportionately large. Eyes and ears very large. 

 Neck short. Body rather slender. Feet very short ; tarsus partly 

 feathered, anteriorly scutellate below ; fore toes three, connected to the 

 second joint by membranes, scutellate above ; claws depressed, arched, 

 that of the middle toe with the inner edge expanded and pectinate. 



Plumage blended, soft and silky, without much gloss. Upper 

 mandible margined at the base with long, stiff bristles, extending for- 

 wards and outwards. Wings long, somewhat falcate, narrow, the second 

 and third quills longest. Tail long, ample, even, of ten broad, rounded 

 feathers. 



Bill yellowish-brown, the tip black. Iris hazel. Feet yellowish- 

 brown, tinged with purple. Head and back dark brown, minutely 

 mottled with yellowish-red, and longitudinally streaked with black. 

 Three lines of the latter colour from the upper mandible, diverging along 

 the head. A yellowish- white Line over the eye. Sides of the head and 

 chin yellowish-red, mottled with black. Wings barred with yellowish- 

 red and brownish-black, and minutely sprinkled with the latter colour, 

 as are the wing-coverts, which, together with the scapulars, are largely 



