72 



WHIP-POOR-WILL. 



have retired to rest. Some of the more ignorant and superstitious 

 consider this near approach as foreboding no good to the family, 

 nothing less than sickness, misfortune or death to some of its mem- 

 bers; these visits, however, so often occur without any bad conse- 

 quences, that this superstitious dread seems on the decline. 



He is now a regular acquaintance. Every morning and even- 

 ing his shrill and rapid repetitions are heard from the adjoining 

 woods, and when two or more are calling out at the same time, as 

 is often the case in the pairing season, and at no great distance 

 from each other, the noise, mingling with the echoes from the 

 mountains, is really surprising. Strangers, in parts of the coun- 

 try where these birds are numerous, find it almost impossible for 

 some time to sleep; while to those long acquainted with them, the 

 sound often serves as a lullaby to assist their repose. 



These notes seem pretty plainly to articulate the words which 

 have been generally applied to them. Whip-poor-will, the first and 

 last syllables being uttered with great emphasis, and the whole in 

 about a second to each repetition; but when two or more males 

 meet, their whip-poor-will altercations become much more rapid 

 and incessant, as if ea-^.h were straining to overpower or silence the 

 other. When near, you often hear an introductory cluck between 

 the notes. At these times, as well as at almost all others, they fly 

 low, not more than a few feet from the surface, skimming about 

 the house and before the door, alighting on the wood pile, or set- 

 tling on the roof. Towards midnight they generally become silent, 

 unless in clear moonlight, when they are heard with little intermis- 

 sion till morning. If there be a creek near, with high precipitous 

 bushy banks, they are sure to be found in such situations. During 

 the day they sit in the most retired, solitary and deep shaded parts 

 of the woods, generally on high ground, where they repose in si- 

 lence. When disturbed they rise within a few feet, sail low and 

 slowly through the woods for thirty or forty yards, and generally 

 settle on a low branch or on the ground. Their sight appears de- 



