NIGUT HAWK. 375 
basking themselves in the sun. Near the sea-shore, in the vici tity of 
extensive salt marshes, they are likewise very numerous, skiipming 
over the meadows, in the manner of Swallows, until it is so dark that 
the eye can no longer follow them. 
When wounded and taken, they attempt to intimidate you by open- 
ing their mouth to its utmost stretch, throwing the head forward, and 
uttering a kind of guttural whizzing sound, striking also violently 
with their wings, which seem to be their only offensive weapons}; for 
they never attempt to strike with the bill or claws. 
About the middle of August, they begin to move off towards the 
south; at which season they may be seen almost every evening, from 
five o’clock until after sunset, passing along the Schuylkill and the 
adjacent shores, in widely-scattered multitudes, all steering towards 
the south. I have counted several hundreds within sight at the same 
time, dispersed through the air, and darting after insects as they ad- 
vanced. These occasional processions continue for two or three 
weeks; none are seen travelling in the opposite direction. Some- 
times they. are accompanied by at least twice as many Barn Swallows, 
some Chimney Swallows and Purple Martins. They are also most 
numerous immediately preceding a northeast storm. At this time also 
they abound in the extensive meadows on the Schuylkill and Dela- 
ware, where I have counted fifteen skimming over a single field in an 
evening. On shooting some of these, on the 14th of August, their 
stomachs were almost exclusively filled with crickets. From one of 
them [ took nearly 2 common snuff-box full of these insects, all seem- 
ingly fresh swallowed. 
By the middle or 20th of September, very few of these birds are to 
be seen in Pennsylvania: how far south they go, or at what particu- 
lar time they pass the southern boundaries of the United States, 1 am 
unable to say. None of them winter in Georgia. 
. The ridiculous name Goatsucker, — which was first bestowed on 
the European species, from a foolish notion that it sucked the teats of 
the goats, because, probably, it inhabited the solitary heights where 
they fed, which nickname has been since applied to the whole genus, 
—J have thought proper to omit. There is something worse than ab- 
surd in continuing to brand a whole family of birds with a knavish 
name, after they are universally known to be innocent of the charge. 
[t is not only unjust, but tends to encourage the belief in an idle fa- 
ble that is totally destitute of all foundation. 
The Night Hawk is nine inches and a half in length, and twenty- 
three inches in extent; the upper parts, are of a very deep blackish 
brown, unmixed on the primaries, but thickly sprinkled or powdered 
on the back scapulars and head with innumerable minute spots and 
streaks of a pale cream color, interspersed with specks of reddish; 
the scapulars are barred with the same, also the tail-coverts and tail, 
the inner edges of which are barred with white and deep brownish 
black for an inch and a half from the tip, where they are crossed 
broadly with a band of white, the two middle ones excepted, which 
are plain deep brown, barred and sprinkled with light clay; a spot of 
pure white extends over the. five first primaries, the outer edge of the 
exterior feather excepted, and about the middle of the wing; a trian- 
gular spot of white also marks the throat, bending up on each side of 
