* 



WHIP-POOR^WILL. 



75 



of suspicious awe, as a bird with which they wish to have as little 

 to do as possible. The superstition of the Indian differs very little 

 from that of an illiterate German, a Scots Highlander, or the less 

 informed of any other nation. It suggests ten thousand fantastic 

 notions to each, and these, instead of being recorded with all the 

 punctilio of the most important truths, seem only fit to be forgot- 

 ten. Whatever, among either of these people, is strange and not 

 comprehended, is usually attributed to supernatural agency; and 

 an unexpected sight, or uncommon incident, is often ominous of 

 good, but more generally of bad fortune, to the parties. Night, to 

 minds of this complexion, brings with it its kindred horrors, its ap- 

 paritions, strange sounds and awful sights; and this solitary and 

 inoffensive bird being a frequent wanderer in these hours of ghosts 

 and hobgoblins, is considered by the Indians as being by habit and 

 repute little better than one of them. All those people, however, 

 are not so credulous : I have conversed with Indians who treated 

 these silly notions with contempt. 



The Whip-poor-will is never seen during the day, unless in 

 circumstances such as have been described. Their food appears 

 to be large moths, grasshoppers, pismires, and such insects as fre- 

 quent the bark of old rotten and decaying timber. They are also 

 expert in darting after winged insects. They will sometimes skim 

 in the dusk, within a few feet of a person, uttering a kind of low 

 chatter as they pass. In their migrations north, and on their re- 

 turn, they probably stop a day or two at some of their former 

 stages, and do not advance in one continued flight. The Whip- 

 poor-will was first heard this season on the second day of May in 

 a corner of Mr. Bartram's woods, not far from the house, and for 

 two or three mornings after in the same place, where I also saw 

 it. From this time until the beginning of September there were 

 none of these birds to be found, within at least one mile of the 

 place; tho I frequently made search for them. On the fourth of 

 September the Whip-poor-will was again heard for two evenings, 



