THE CHUCK- WILL'S-WIDOW. 143 



a few days before the females. During their migrations they are said to travel 

 singly, or at most in small companies, and not in large flocks, like most other 

 species, and these journeys are performed entirely at night. 



Chuck --will's- widow is the largest of the Caprimulgidce found in the United 

 States, and, like the rest of the members of this family, it is crepuscular and 

 nocturnal in its habits, being rarely seen on the wing in the daytime, unless 

 accidentally startled from its hiding place. It spends its days mostly hidden 

 away in dark shady places in woods, among the undergrowth, especially along 

 rocky hillsides, resting either on the ground or in some hollow log, under a ledge 

 of rock, or perched lengthwise on some low limb of a bushy, densely-foliaged 

 tree. Although a tolerably common bird throughout the more southern portions 

 of its range, it is by no means as well known generally as it might be, and only 

 a careful and patient observer can expect to become familiar with its general 

 habits. Its flight is extremely noiseless, the very embodiment of grace and 

 agility combined, and in this respect it resembles our Owls somewhat, now 

 skimming along close to the ground, dropping down suddenly to pick up some 

 beetle, then dashing upward again, perhaps after a moth; constantly twisting 

 and turning from one course to another, but always on the lookout for any passing 

 insect. As soon as the sun has disappeared behind the horizon, all the Chuek- 

 wiH's-widows in the neighborhood become alert at once, leave their customary 

 resting places in search of food, and, during the mating season especially, com- 

 mence to utter the peculiar call, " chuck- will's- widow," from which they have 

 derived their name. This strangely doleful-sounding note is occasionally, par- 

 ticularly Avhile under sexual excitement, uttered very rapidly for two or three 

 minutes or more, the syllables being all rolled into one, until the bird is compelled 

 to take a rest from sheer want of breath. The late Dr. William C. Avery, of 

 Greensboro, Alabama, well known as an excellent observer, wrote me as follows 

 on this subject: "In general cadence the first three syllables are about equal, 

 the syllable 'wid' being accented and emphasized, and the last syllable, 'ow' 

 being only about half the quantity of the first three. Pronounce the syllables 

 just as I have given them here, with the accent on 'wid' and the quantity of 

 the preceding ones equal in length with the intoned syllable, and you have the 

 call note of Aiitrostomus carolinensis. 



"When frightened from its nest, or when flying late in the evening, it utters' 

 a harsh note at times, and this resembles, to my ear, the syllable 'baw! baw! 

 baw!' These notes, apparently of displeasure or alarm, are low and can not 

 be heard at a great distance, while, during a still night, the ' chuck- will's- 

 widow,' or call note, rapidly repeated, may be heard for a mile or more. These 

 notes, during the mating season at least, are uttered from dusk to about 9 p. m., 

 and while singing they usually sit on the ground, on a log or rock, or 

 occasionally on a fence rail, or on a low limb of a tree, and in such a position 

 they usually sit lengthwise, not crosswise, on the limb. I have known this bird 

 from early boyhood and am positive that it never chants its monotonous song 

 while on the wing, as has been recently stated. It is also said 'that if either 



