96 



CHUCK-WILL^S-WIDOW. 



Hawk, to both of which they indiscriminately attribute the notes 

 and habits of the Whip-poor-will. 



The Chuck-wilFs-widow, so called from its notes which seem 

 exactly to articulate those words, arrives on the sea coast of Geor- 

 gia about the middle of March, and in Virginia early in April. It 

 commences its singular call generally in the evening, soon after 

 sunset, and continues it with short occasional interruptions for se- 

 veral hours. Towards morning these repetitions are renewed, and 

 continue until dawn has fairly appeared. During the day it is al- 

 together silent. This note, or call, instantly attracts the attention 

 of a stranger, and is strikingly different from that of the Whip- 

 poor-will. In sound and articulation it seems plainly to express 

 the words which have been applied to it (Chuck-wiW s-ividow)j pro- 

 nouncing each syllable leisurely and distinctly, putting the prin- 

 cipal emphasis on the last word. In a still evening it may be 

 heard at the distance of nearly a mile, the tones of its voice being 

 stronger and more full than those of the Whip-poor-will, who ut- 

 ters his with much greater rapidity. In the Chickasaw country, 

 and throughout the whole Mississippi territory, I found the pre- 

 sent species very numerous in the months of April and May, keep- 

 ing up a continued noise during the whole evening, and in moon- 

 light throughout the whole of the night. 



The flight of this bird is low, skimming about at a few feet 

 above the surface of the ground, frequently settling on old logs, or 

 on the fences, and from thence sweeping around in pursuit of va- 

 rious winged insects that fly in the night. Like the Whip-poor- 

 will it prefers the declivities of glens and other deeply shaded 

 places, making the surrounding mountains ring with echoes the 

 whole evening. I several times called the attention of the Chick- 

 asaws to the notes of this bird, on which occasions they always 

 assumed a grave and thoughtful aspect; but it appeared to me that 

 they made no distinction between the two species ; so that what- 



