96 Wyoming Bxperiment Station. 



the solemnity and loneliness are doubled as the darkness low- 

 ers over all, by the incessant semi-liuman and doleful call of the 

 poor-wilL 



I have found this species in all parts of Wyoming below 

 9,000 feet, but never above that elevation and seldom above 

 8,000 feet. Coues reports specimens from Powder river and 

 Big Horn river; Bond has taken several specimens at Chey- 

 enne; West has taken specimens at Buffalo. Gary remarks 

 "the monotonous notes of -these birds were heard every night 

 near Newcastle." In the University there are four skins that 

 were taken in Albany and Carbon counties. 



420a. Chordeiles virginianus henryi (Cass.). 

 Western Nighthawk. 

 Summer resident and very common. This species has 

 been noted by nearly every collector of birds in Wyoming. It 

 should be protected in every possible way from the would-be 

 sportsman, who takes special pains to shoot it on the wing for 

 practice. Its food is essentially insects. Wood took four 

 specimens at Bridger Pass, 1856; Cooper took specimens at 

 Fort Laramie, Sept. 16, 1857; Drexel found them at Fort 

 Bridger, 1858; McCarthy took specimens on La Bonte creek, 

 1859 ; Williston reported them common at Lake Como after May 

 31st; Coues makes several references to Wyoming specimens; 

 Jesurun finds them abundant at Dougjas; Bond reports them 

 abundant at Cheyenne; Cary reports what he considered this 

 variety from Newcastle. In the University collection there 

 are four skins that were taken in Carbon county. 



425. Aeronautes melanoleucus (Baird.). 

 White-throated Swift. 



Summer resident ; but very little is known as to its abund- 

 ance oi- range. I have seen this species in the canons aboiit the 

 base of the Black hills, along the foothills of the eastern slbpes 

 of the Big Horn mountains, and along Medicine Lodge creek 

 on the eastern side of the. iBig Horn Basin. A,,0. U. Check 



