NIGHT-HAWK. 277 



scarcely one could be seen there. When returning from the northern 

 districts at a late period of the year, they pass close over the woods, and 

 with so much rapidity, that you can obtain only a single glimpse of them. 

 While at Indian Key, on the coast of Florida, 1 saw a pair of these 

 birds killed by lightning, while they were on wing, during a tremendous 

 thunder-storm. They fell on the sea, and after picking them up I exa- 

 mined them carefully, but failed to discover the least appearance of injury 

 on the feathers or in the internal parts. 



Caprimulgus virginianus, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 585 — Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. 



of Birds of the United States, p. 62. 

 Caprimulgus (Chordeii.es) virginianus, Swains, and Uichards, part. i. p. 62. 

 Night-Hawk, Caprimulgus Americancs, Wils. Amer. Ornith, vol. v. p. 65. pi. 40. 



fig. 1. Male ; fig. 2. Female — Nuttall, Manual, part. i. p. 619. 



Adult Male. Plate CXLVII. Fig. 1. 



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

 when open, appearing of enormous width ; upper mandible, in its dorsal 

 outline straight at first, deflected at the end, very broad at the base, 

 and suddenly contracted towards the tip, which is compressed and rather 

 obtuse ; lower mandible a little recurved at the tip. Nostrils basal, oval, 

 prominent, covered above by a membrane. Head large, depressed. Eyes 

 and ears very large. Neck short, body rather slender. Feet very short 

 and feeble ; tarsus partly feathered, anteriorly scutellate below ; fore-toes 

 three, connected by webs as far as the second joint, scutellate above.; 

 claws very small, curved, compressed, acute ; that of the middle larger, 

 curved outwards, with the inner edge expanded and pectinate. 



Plumage blended, soft, but with the feathers distinct, slightly glossed. 

 Upper mandible margined with short bristles. Wings very long, some- 

 what falcate, narrow, the first and second quills longest, and almost 

 equal. Tail rather long, ample, forked, of ten broad, rounded feathers. 



Bill black. Iris dark-brown. Feet purplish-brown, the claws dark- 

 brown. Head and upper surface in general brownish-black, mottled with 

 white and pale reddish-brown. Secondary quills tipped with brownish- 

 white. A conspicuous white bar extending across the inner web of the 

 first, and the whole breadth of the second, third, fourth, and fifth prima- 

 ries. Tail-feathers barred with brownish-grey, the four outer on each 

 side plain brownish-black towards the end;, with a white spot. Sides of 



