170 THE BIRDS 
Minnesota to northeastern Texas; migrates through the 
Greater Antilles and Central America; winters in South 
America from Brazil to Argentina. 
The earliest record for the arrival of these birds from 
their winter home is February 26th, 1910, but this is an 
exceptional case, the majority arriving by April 16th. 
One is first attracted to them generally about sundown, 
as they pass to and fro, tumbling, turning, twisting in all 
sorts of crazy fashions, pursuing their insect food, all the 
while uttering a discordant “Queek, queek.”” The white 
on the wings makes them easily distinguishable when fly- 
ing. During most of the day they sit motionless on some 
log or inclined trunk, or fence rail, eyelids closed, 
apparently asleep. In this attitude they allow one to 
nearly touch them, as they also do when covering their 
eges, which are laid, generally, on the ground. The two 
grayish, glossy, white eggs are heavily blotched and spotted 
with bluish-gray and dark brown. Size, 1.20x.85. No 
nest is made, the eggs being deposited on the bare ground 
near a fallen log, stump, fence rail, or drift on our islands 
off the coast. Years ago, during the fall migration the 
last week in September, large numbers were shot by local 
sportsmen, both for the chance to display marksmanship, 
and for food. The local name of Goatsucker was undoubt- 
edly derived from the belief that they sucked the milk 
from goats, and sometimes cows, a notion without founda- 
tion or fact. Only one brood a season. Fresh eggs May 
27th to June 5th. The insect food taken by these birds 
while on the wing, such as mosquitoes, flies, beetles and 
moths, should convince the farmer and sportsmen that 
they are a most beneficial bird, and, therefore, to be pro- 
tected. When resting they always sit longitudinally on 
the log, limb or rail. 
