172 



WHIP-POOR- WILL. 



usually two in number, in shape much resembling those of 

 the night hawk, but having the ground colour much darker, 

 and more thickly marbled with dark olive. The precise 

 period of incubation I am unable to say. 



In traversing the woods one day, in the early part of June, 

 along the brow of a rocky declivity, a whip-poor-will rose from 

 my feet, and fluttered along, sometimes prostrating herself, 

 and beating the ground with her wings, as if just expiring. 

 Aware of her purpose, I stood still, and began to examine the 

 space immediately around me for the eggs or young, one or 

 other of which I was certain must be near. After a long 

 search, to my mortification, I could find neither ; and was just 

 going to abandon the spot, when I perceived somewhat like a 

 slight mouldiness among the withered leaves, and, on stooping 

 down, discovered it to be a young whip-poor-will, seemingly 

 asleep, as its eyelids were nearly closed; or perhaps this might 

 only be to protect its tender eyes from the glare of day. I sat 

 down by it on the leaves, and drew it as it then appeared. 

 (See fig. 3.) It was probably not a week old. All the while 

 I was thus engaged, it neither moved its body, nor opened its 

 eyes more than half ; and I left it as I found it. After I had 

 walked about a quarter of a mile from the spot, recollecting 

 that I had left a pencil behind, I returned and found my 

 pencil, but the young bird was gone. 



Early in June, as soon as the young appear, the notes of the 

 male usually cease, or are heard but rarely. Towards the 

 latter part of summer, a short time before these birds leave 

 us, they are again occasionally lieard ; but their call is then 

 not so loud — much less emphatical, and more interrupted than 

 in spring. Early in September they move off towards the south. 



The favourite places of resort for these birds are on high, 

 dry situations ; in low, marshy tracts of country they are 

 seldom heard. It is probably on this account that they are 

 scarce on the sea-coast and its immediate neighbourhood, 

 while towards the mountains they are very numerous. The 

 night hawks, on the contrary, delight in these extensive sea 



