NIGHT HAWK. 407 



there. They measure one inch and three and a half eighths in length, 

 by seven-eighths in the middle, whence they round off almost equally 

 at both ends. Their ground-colour is bluish-white, with numerous 

 irregular blotches of dull reddish-brown, of light and dark tints, giving 

 it the appearance of a piece of well-polished curiously clouded marble. 

 At Galveston Bay, I frequently observed this bird alight on the dry 

 mud-flats of the interior of salt-marshes, among Curlews, Semipalmated 

 Snipes, and other aquatic species. It is abundant at Boston, and breeds 

 there. 



An adult Female preserved in spirits, measures to the end of the 

 tail 9f inches, to end of wings 9^, to end of claws 6| ; wing from 

 flexure 8j2 ; tail 4;^^ ; extent of wings 23|. 



The form of the head differs considerably from that of the other 

 two species, being more elevated in proportion to its breadth, and con- 

 siderably compressed before and behind, so as evidently to approxi- 

 mate to that of the Owls. The bill is of the same form as in the 

 Whip-poor-"V\^ill, but proportionally shorter, and the lower mandible 

 is equally divided into two pieces on each side. The aperture of the 

 nares is oblong, prominent, marginate, 1^ twelfth long, ^ twelfth broad. 

 That of the ear is elliptical, 2| twelfths long, 1^ twelfth broad ; and 

 that of the eye measures 4| twelfths. The interior of the mouth is as 

 in the other species ; but its margins externally are destitute of bristles. 

 The posterior apertm"e of the nares is 5 twelfths long, the palate is 

 covered with papillae, the tongue is proportionally shorter and broader 

 than in the other species, being 3 twelfths long, triangular, sagittate 

 at the base, with two large papillasj fleshy, but thin and pointed. The 

 width of the mouth is 11 twelfths. The oesophagus is 2 inches 10 

 twelfths long, funnel-shaped at the commencement, presently contract- 

 ing to 3 twelfths, but on entering the thorax enlarged ; the proventri- 

 culus 6 twelfths in breadth. The stomach is very large, moderately 

 muscular, irregularly elliptical, a little compressed, 1 inch 1 twelfth 

 long, 11 twelfths broad ; its muscular coat of considerable thickness, 

 the epithelium remarkably thick and tough, so as to be almost of a 

 horny consistence, with strong longitudinal rugae, and of a reddish co- 

 lour. The contents of the stomach, remains of insects. The intestine 

 is shoi't and wide, 10^ inches long, 3 twelfths wide at the upper, 2| 

 twelfths at the lower part ; coeca 1 inch 8 twelfths long ; for half an 



