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VERTEBRAT A. 
THK FOBK-TAILED PSALURUS. THE NIGHT-HAWK. 
Genus PSALURUS : Psalurus. — This includes a very extraordinary South American species, 
P. macropterus : it has a bright, ruddy demi-collar ornamenting the back part of the neck ; 
the tail is excessively long, and deeply forked ; the two external tail-feathers in the male are much 
longer than the others. It is a native of Paraguay and Brazil. 
Genus CHORDEILES : Chordeiles. — This includes several American species, one of which is 
the PiSK or Night-Hawk, C. Virginianus, familiarly known in all the United States, in Mexico, 
and the West Indies. It is nine to ten inches long ; upper parts brownish-black, variously mot- 
tled ; a conspicuous white transverse bar on each wing, above and below ; when the bird is seen 
flying over, this appears like a large circular spot; tail-feathers brownish-black, banded with 
ashy-white. The Night-Hawks usually arrive from the south in May. The eggs, two in number, 
are laid on the ground, sometimes in the woods, often in a corn-field. As soon as incubation 
commences, the male keeps a most vigilant watch. He is then more frequently seen playing 
about in the air over the place, even during the day, mounting by several qiiick vibrations of 
the wings, then a few slower, uttering all the while a sharp, harsh squeak, till, having gained the 
