248 WHIP-POOR-WILL. 



I shall not, in the manner of some, attempt to amuse the reader with 

 a repetition of the unintelligible names given to this bird by the Indians ; 

 or the superstitious notions generally entertained of it by the same 

 people. These seem as various as the tribes, or even families with 

 which you converse ; scarcely two of them will tell you the same story. 

 It is easy however to observe, that this, like the Owl and other noctur- 

 nal birds, is held by them in a kind of suspicious awe, as a bird with 

 which they wish to have as little to do as possible. The superstition of 

 the Indian differs very little from that of an illiterate German, a Scots 

 Highlander, or the less informed of any other nation. It suggests 

 ten thousand fantastic notions to each, and these, instead of being 

 recorded with all the punctilio of the most important truths, seem only 

 fit to be forgotten. Whatever, among either of these people, is strange 

 and not comprehended, is usually attributed to supernatural agency ; 

 and an unexpected sight, or uncommon incident, is often ominous of 

 good, but more generally of bad fortune, to the parties. Night, to 

 minds of this complexion, brings with it its kindred horrors, its appari- 

 tions, strange sounds and awful sights ; and this solitary and inoffensive 

 bird being a frequent wanderer in these hours of ghosts and hobgoblins, 

 is considered by the Indians, as being by habit and repute little better 

 than one of them. All those people, however, are not so credulous : I 

 have conversed with Indians who treated these silly notions with 

 contempt. 



The Whip-poor-will is never seen during the day, unless in circum- 

 stances such as have been described. Their food appears to be large 

 moths, grasshoppers, pismires, and such insects as frequent the bark of 

 old rotten and decaying timber. They are also expert in darting after 

 winged insects. They will sometimes skim in the dusk, within a few 

 feet of a person, uttering a kind of low chatter as they pass. In ^their 

 migrations north, and on their return, they probably stop a day or two 

 at some of their former stages, and do not advance in one continued 

 flight. The Whip-poor-will was first heard this season on the second day 

 of May in a corner of Mr. Bartram's woods, not far from the house, 

 and for two or three mornings after in the same place, where I also saw 

 it. From this time until the beginning of September there were none 

 of these birds to be found, within at least one mile of the place ; though 

 I frequently made search for them. On the fourth of September the 

 Whip-poor-will was again heard for two evenings, successively, in the 

 same part of the woods. I also heard several of them passing, within 

 the same week, between dusk and nine o'clock at night, it being then 

 clear moonlight. These repeated their notes three or four times, and 

 were heard no more. It is highly probable that they migrate during 

 the evening and night. 



The Whip-poor-will is nine inches and a half long, and nineteen inches 



