In the Woods. 171 



The nest is placed in some deserted woodpecker's hole or natural cavity 

 in a dead limb. Here sonie twigs, grasses, and often pieces of cast off snake 

 skin and a few feathers form a bed for the eggs or young. From three to six 

 eggs are laid. They are buffy white in color, heavily lined and penciled all 

 over with dark shades of brown. They are nine tenths of an inch long, and 

 nearly seven tenths of an inch in width. These bir4s are found in the Eastern 

 United States as far north as Southern Canada and New Brunswick. They 

 breed from Florida northward throughout their range, and winter from South 

 Florida southward to Central America. 



The Whip-poor-will seems like a moth among birds. The quality of the 

 feathers, their softness in color and markings, the very uncertainty of the 



flight when one is started from its bed of dry leaves 

 Whip-poor-will. jj^ some dusky part of a deep wood, all join to heighten 



Antrostomus vociferus (Wils.). ^ ^ ■*■ . i i • i 



the impression. The crepuscular habits of the bird 

 form another link that adds emphasis to this fancy. After the sun is down 

 and the dusk steals over the landscape, and again just before sunrise, and in 

 the uncertain moonlight the 

 Whip-poor-will leaving his 

 day resorts seeks his food 

 on the wing, hovering low 

 over the edges of fields and 

 even along highways. His 

 excursions are not long, and 

 between them he perches 

 on some bare stone, or log, 

 even on some fence post 



or rail, or perhaps on a stone whip-poor-will'S foot, comb on longest claw. 

 wall, and with a single pre- , 



liminary sudden " chuck " as an overture, begins his concert of Whip-poor-will, 

 which has given him his name. 



The bird Is about ten inches long, and of a general underlying color of ' 

 dark brown. On each side of the top of the head this color is mottled with 

 fine black and white markings, the centre of the crown- being darker. The 

 general color of the back is similar, but is covered and almost hidden when 

 the wings are closed. On the shoulders areas of light buff and dark brown 

 mottling alternate. The wings are dark brown with reddish bars. The tail 



