198 BIRDS OF THE NIGHT. 



those of the Whippoorwill that I give them below, that 

 they may be compared. 



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Bob White More Wet. 



So great is the similarity of the notes of these two birds, 

 that those of the Quail need only be repeated in succes- 

 sion without pause to be mistaken, if heard in the night, 

 for those of the Whippoorwill. They are uttered with a 

 similar intonation ; but the voice of the nocturnal bird is 

 more harsh, and his song consists of three notes instead 

 of two, and is pitched a few tones higher. 



The song of the Whippoorwill, though wanting in mel- 

 lowness of tone, as may be perceived when we are near 

 him, is very agreeable except to a few, notwithstanding 

 the superstitions associated with it. Some persons are 

 not disposed to class the Whippoorwill among singing- 

 birds, regarding him as more vociferous than musical. 

 But it would be difficult to determine in what respect his 

 notes differ from the songs of other birds, except that they 

 approach more nearly to the precision of artificial music. 

 Yet it will be admitted that a considerable distance is 

 required to " lend enchantment " to the sound of his 

 voice. In some retired and solitary districts, the Whip- 

 poorwills are so numerous as to be annoying by their vo- 

 ciferations. But in those places where only a few individ- 

 uals are heard during the season, their music is a source 

 of great pleasure, and constitutes one of the principal 

 charms of the neighborhood. 



I was witness of this some years ago, in one of my 

 botanical rambles in Essex County, which is for the most 

 part too open and cleared to suit the habits of these soli- 

 tary birds. On one of these excursions, after walking 



