WHIP-POOR-WILL. 155 



ing along the head; a yellowish-white line over the eye; wings barred with 

 yellowish-red and brownish-black, and minutely sprinkled with the latter 

 colour, as are the wing-coverts, which, together with the scapulars, are largely 

 spotted with black, and tinged with grey; tail similarly barred and dotted; 

 terminal half of the inner webs of the three outer feathers white, their extre- 

 mities light red; lower parts dull reddish-yellow, sprinkled with dusky; a 

 band of whitish feathers barred with black on the fore neck. Female like 

 the male, but without white on the tail. 

 Male, 12f, 26. Female, 13_^, 30. 



WHIP-POOR-WILL. 



"■/"Caprimulgus vocifertjs, Wils. 

 PLATE XLIL— Male and Female. 



This bird makes its appearance in most parts of our Western and Southern 

 Districts, at the approach of spring, but is never heard, and indeed scarcely 

 ever occurs, in the State of Louisiana. The more barren and mountainous 

 parts of the Union seem to suit it best. Accordingly, the open Barrens of 

 Kentucky, and the country through which the Alleghany ridges pass, are 

 more abundantly supplied with it than any other regions. Yet, wherever a 

 small tract of country, thinly covered with timber, occurs in the Middle 

 Districts, there the Whip-poor-will is heard during the spring and early 

 autumn. 



This species of Night-jar, like its relative the Chuck-will's-widow, is 

 seldom seen during the day, unless when accidentally discovered in a state 

 of repose, when, if startled, it rises and flies off, but only to such a distance 

 as it considers necessary, in order to secure it from the farther intrusion of 

 the disturber of its noon-day slumbers. Its flight is very low, light, swift, 

 noiseless, and protracted, as the bird moves over the places which it inhabits, 

 in pursuit of the moths, beetles and other insects, of which its food is com- 

 posed. During the day, it sleeps on the ground, the lowest branches of 

 small trees and bushes, or the fallen trunks of trees so abundantly dispersed 

 through the woods. In such situations, you may approach within a few feet 

 of it; and, should you observe it whilst asleep, and not make any noise 

 sufficient to alarm it, will suffer you to pass quite near without taking flight, 

 as it seems to sleep with great soundness, especially about the middle of the 



