NIGHT HAWK. jgj 



NIGHT HAWK. (Caprirnulgus Americanus.) 



PLATE XL.— Fig. 1, Male; Fig. 2, Female. 



Long-winged Goatsucker, Arct. Zool. No. 337. — Peak's Museum, No. 7723, male ,; 



7724, female. 



CAPRIMULGUS AMERICANUS ?— Wilson.* 



Caprirrmlgus Virginianus, Bonap. Synop. p. 62. — Chordeiles Virgimorus, 

 Sw. North. Zool. ii. p. 337. 



This bird, in Virginia and some of the southern districts, is 

 called a bat ; the name night hawk is usually given it in 

 the middle and northern States, probably on account of its 

 appearance, when on wing, very much resembling some of our 



* North America appears to contain three species of this curious genus, 

 — the present one, with the following, and C. Carolinensis, afterwards 

 described. The whole are nearly of like size, and, from the general 

 similarity of marking which runs through the group, will somewhat 

 resemble each other. Wilson may, therefore, claim the first merit of 

 clearly distinguishing them, although he remained in uncertainty re- 

 garding the descriptions and synonyms of other authors. Vieillot 

 appears to have described this species under the name of G. popetue ; 

 but, notwithstanding, I cannot help preferring that given by Wilson, 

 particularly as it seems confined to the New World. 



Bonaparte remarks that the night hawks are among the swallows 

 what the owls are among the Falconidce ; and, if we may be allowed 

 the expression, the C. Americanus has more of the hirundine look than 

 the others. The whole plumage is harder, the ends of the quills are 

 more pointed, the tail is forked, and the rictus wants the strong array 

 of bristles which we consider one of the essentials in the most perfect 

 form of Caprimulgus. We may here remark (although we know that 

 there are exceptions), that we have generally observed in those having 

 the tail forked, and, consequently, with a greater power of quick flight 

 and rapid turnings, that the plumage is more rigid, and the flight 

 occasionally diurnal. This is borne out, also, in our present species, 

 which play " about in the air, over the breeding-place, even during the 

 day;" and, in their migrations, "may be seen almost everywhere, 

 from five o'clock until after sunset, passing along the Schuylkill and 

 the adjacent shores." 



The truly night-feeding species have the plumage loose and downy, 

 as in the nocturnal owls ; the wings more blunted, and the plumules 

 coming to a slender point, and unconnected ; the tail rounded, and the 

 VOL. IT. L 



