252 WHIP-POOR-WILL. 



by blowing into the bung-hole of an empty hogshead, -were shot a-t 

 different times, and in different places, and accurately examined both 

 outwardly and by dissection. Nine of these were found to be males, 

 and four females. The former all corresponded in the markings and 

 tints of their plumage ; the latter also agreed in their marks, differing 

 slightly from the males, though evidently of the same species. Two 

 others were shot as they rose from the nests, or rather from the eggs, 

 which in both cases were two in number, lying on the open ground. 

 These also agreed in the markings of their plumage with the four pre- 

 ceding ; and on dissection were found to be females. The eggs were 

 also secured. A Whip-poor-will was shot in the evening, while in the 

 act of repeating his usual and well known notes. This bird was found 

 to be a male, differing in many remarkable particulars from all the 

 former. Three others were shot at different times during the day, in 

 solitary and dark shaded parts of the woods. Two of these were found 

 to be females, one of which had been sitting on two eggs. The two 

 females resembled each other almost exactly ; the male also corres- 

 ponded in its markings with the one first found ; and all four were evi- 

 dently of one species. The eggs differed from the former both in color 

 and markings. 



" The differences between these two birds were as follow : the sides 

 of the mouth in both sexes of the Whip-poor-will were beset with ranges 

 of long and very strong bristles, extending more than half an inch 

 beyond the point of the bill ; both sexes of the Night-hawk were entirely 

 destitute of bristles. The bill of the Whip-poor-will was also more than 

 twice the length of that of the Night-hawk. The long wing quills, of 

 both sexes of the Night-hawk, were of a deep brownish black, with a 

 large spot of white nearly in their middle ; and when shut the tips of 

 the wings extended a little beyond the tail. The wing quills of the 

 Whip-poor-will, of both sexes, were beautifully spotted with light brown, 

 had no spot of white on them, and when shut the tips of the wings did 

 not reach to the tip of the tail by at least two inches. The tail of the 

 Night-hawk was handsomely forked, the exterior feathers being the 

 longest, shortening gradually to the middle ones ; the tail of the Whip- 

 poor-will was rounded, the exterior feathers being the shortest, length- 

 ening gradually to the middle ones. 



" After a careful examination of these and several other remarkable 

 differences, it was impossible to withstand the conviction that these birds 

 belonged to two distinct species of the same genus, differing in size, 

 color, and conformation of parts. 



" A statement of the principal of these facts having been laid before 

 Mr. Bartram, together with a male and female of each of the above- 

 mentioned species, and also a male of the Great Virginian Bat, or 

 Chuck-wilV s-widow, after a particular examination that venerable natu- 



