HUNTING WITH A CAMERA. 



IV. 

 THE NIGHTHAWK. 



W. E. CARLIN. 



The illustrations in this issue are of the 

 common nighthawk, which is numerous in 

 the high plateaus of the Bitter Root moun- 

 tains. It nests on the dry, bare ground, 

 laying 2 eggs, and feeds mainly in the even- 

 ing. Just after sunset the nighthawks ap- 

 pear, darting about with open mouth and 

 catching everything in the way of gnats, 

 flies and mosquitoes that happens to be on 

 the wing. The most noticeable feature of 

 this bird is the discordant screeching, 



great difficulty one of these birds can be 

 seen, even at distances of a few feet. 



As may be seen from the photos, the 

 colors of the bird and the background are 

 closely alike and it was difficult to get a 

 print of sufficient contrast to show the 

 birds well. 



They are easy to approach, when asleep, 

 if one moves slowly and quietly; but we 

 were unable to get good pictures of them 

 at any other time. 



THE NIGHTHAWK. 



AMATEUR PHOTO BY W. E. CARLIN. 



booming sound caused by his wings, as 

 he cuts the air in his bold zig-zag flight. 



The nighthawk frequently rests on the 

 ground, on rocks and on limbs, during 

 Tiis feeding time. 



In strong sunlight they see but imper- 

 fectly, and when disturbed, in daytime, 

 have a halting, uncertain flight. Being a 

 delicate bird and entirely denfenceless it is 

 a wonder they do not all fall a prey to the 

 numerous hawks and " varmints " that in- 

 fest the mountains. It is undoubtedly due 

 to their protective coloration, which so 

 closely resembles the rocks, dead limbs, 

 and dry, gravel covered ground, that they 

 are not all killed and eaten. It is with 



It is not uncommon to find the female 

 asleep beside her nest; while those found 

 asleep on limbs or logs were invariably sit- 

 ting lengthwise of the latter — never cross- 

 wise. 



All the photos reproduced herewith were 

 made on Corbutt's cut films. No. 27 Ortho, 

 with a Dallmeyer No. 2 Telephoto lens. 

 The exposures were usually about 3 sec- 

 onds. 



Mr. W. T. Hornaday, the well known 

 naturalist, writes of the nighthawk in these 

 words: 



Every person who abhors the common- 

 place, in things and in creatures, should 



