WHIP-POOR-WILL. 73 



ficient during the day, as, like Owls, they seem then to want that vi- 

 vacity for which they are distinguished in the morning and evening 

 twilight. They are rarely shot at, or molested; and from being 

 thus transiently seen in the obscurity of dusk, or in the deep um- 

 brage of the woods, no wonder their particular markings of plumage 

 should be so little known, or that they should be confounded with 

 the Night-hawk, whom in general appearance they so much re- 

 semble. The female begins to lay about the second week in May, 

 selecting for this purpose the most unfrequented part of the wood, 

 often where some brush, old logs, heaps of leaves, &c. had been 

 lying, and always on a dry situation. The eggs are deposited on 

 the ground, or on the leaves, not the slightest appearance of a nest 

 being visible. These are usually two in number, in shape much 

 resembling those of the Night-hawk, but having the ground color 

 much darker, and more thickly marbled with dark olive. The pre- 

 cise 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 pur- 

 pose, I stood still and began to examine the space immediately 

 around me for the eggs or young, one or other of which I was cer- 

 tain must be near. After a long search to my mortification I could 

 find neither; and was just going to abandon the spot, when I per- 

 ceived 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 eye-lids 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 ap- 

 peared (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 



VOL. v. T 



