decomposition. A carpet of ferns, terrestrial orchids, lycopodiums, trilliums, trailing 

 arbutus, wintergreen, partridge-berry, blood-root, liepaticas, dog's tooth violets, and 

 many others, cover the floor of the forest. 



The Whippoorwill is a true forest bird- In many places, where the land has been 

 cleared and only few remnants of poor woodlands are left, the bird has become scarce. 

 It has vanished with the Indians and the primeval forest. Near Milwaukee the sounds 

 of the "Whippoorwill are at present seldom heard. In this era of forest destruction 

 we have, even in the more northern parts of the State, often to wander far before we 

 hear its call-notes. But whenever we hear the song of the Veery and the drumming of 

 the Ruffed Grouse, we may be sure also to meet the Whippoorwill. Where farm-yards 

 are closely connected with woods, these birds often are seen around cattle in pursuit of 

 flying insects. 



In the above mentioned locality I do not remember to have heard the Whippoor- 

 •will before the third week of May. Though of rather large size, it is an exceedingly 

 delicate bird, arriving always when the woods are perfectly green, when the air is mild 

 and insects, especially moths, its main food, abundant. A few may come five or even 

 ten days earlier, but the bulk never arrives in Sheboygan Co., Wis., before the 20th of 

 May. At Freistatt, Lawrence Co., Mo., where it is a rather numerous summer sojourner, 

 I have heard its first call-notes in the last week of April and the ■ first week of May. 

 It has quite a large range- of distribution, being found during the breeding season over 

 all the eastern parts of the Union west to the Plains, and from the southern Alleghanies 

 and the Ozark region north to Manitoba and Nova Scotia. When the first Whippoor- 

 will is heard, its tones seem like the voice of an old friend, who has again returned from a 

 long journey. They are listened to by young and old with great pleasure and as a sure 

 sign of warm and beautiful spring w^eather. Though the notes of the bird are so well 

 known, few people are really acquainted with the Whippoorwill, confounding it with 

 the very different Nighthawk. On Plate XXXIII the differences in their external appear- 

 ance are well pointed out. There is also a great diversity in flight. The Whippoorwill 

 is an inhabitant of sylvan retreats, and never skims around in such a continuous way as 

 the Nighthawk, its flight being, on the contrary, rather short and low, without any 

 perceptible sailing, and more in the manner of Flycatchers. It is a shy bird, and easily 

 startled if approached. "At night," says Dr. T. M. Brewer, "as soon as the twilight 

 disappears, these birds issue from their retreats, and fly out into more open spaces in 

 quest of their favorite food. As many of the nocturnal insects, moths, beetles, and others, 

 are attracted about dwellings by lights, the Whippoorwill is frequently enticed, in pursuit, 

 in the same vicinity. For several successive seasons these birds have appeared nearly 

 every summer evening within my grounds, often within a few feet of the house. They 

 never suffer a very near approach, but fly as soon as they notice any movement." 



Like the Chuck-will's-widow, the Whippoorwill constructs no nest. The eggs are 



laid on the bare ground in the thickest and most shady portion of the woods. Usually 



a few old leaves, in a slight depression of the ground, form the foundation. The eggs, 



two in number, are always found on high ground, never in low and marshy places. 



They have a creamy-white ground-color, and are irregularly spotted, marbled, and 



clouded with purplish-lavender and brown. "The former are fainter and as if partially 



50 



