The Pacific Nighthawk 



sure to avail themselves of all cloudy days. In fact, they move about at 

 will whenever the sun slants fairly. The middle hours of the day are 

 spent upon the ground, or if in timbered country, crouched lengthwise 

 upon a tree limb. For the latter situation nature has devised a special 

 apparatus in the shape of a comb-like process along the inner edge of the 

 middle claw of each foot. The feet and legs being, for lack of other use, 

 very weak, this pectination of the middle claw must be of material service 

 in enabling the bird to retain its footing on a rounding surface of bark. 

 It is in these hours of the middle siesta that the intricate color pattern 

 of the plumage makes the bird appear — or rather disappear — to the 

 greatest advantage against the variegated setting of bark or rock. A 

 Nighthawk on the ground is all but invisible — and knows it. 



The Nighthawk, or Goatsucker family (or order), the Caprimidgidce, 

 is chiefly of tropical or subtropical distribution. To those, therefore, 

 who are familiar with the Chuck- will 's- widow (Antrostomns carolinensis) 

 and Whip-poor-will (A. vociferus} of the southeast, or even with the eastern 

 Nighthawk (C. m. minor), it comes as a surprise to learn that our bird is 

 Transitional, or even Boreal in its Californian range. I know I was 



Taken at Big Bear Lake 

 1062 



AN UNUSUAL TYPE 



'Jh'l 

 Photo by Pierce 



