248 
WHIP-POOR-WILL. 
I shall not, in the manner of some, attempt to amuse the reader with 
a repetition of the unintelligible names given to this bird by the Indians ; 
or the superstitious notions generally entertained of it by the same 
people. These seem as various as the tribes, or even families with 
which you converse ; scarcely two of them will tell you the same story. 
It is easy however to observe, that this, like the Owl and other noctur- 
nal birds, is held by them in a kind 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 forgotten. 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 appari- 
tions, 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 circum- 
stances such as have been described. Their food appears to be large 
moths, grasshoppers, pismires, and such insects as frequent 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 return, they j)robably 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 ; though 
I frequently made search for them. On the fourth of September the 
Whip-poor-will was again heard for two evenings, successively, in the 
same part of the woods. I also heard several of them passing, within 
the same week, between dusk and nine o'clock at night, it being then 
clear moonlight. These repeated their notes three or four times, and 
were heard no more. It is highly probable that they migrate during 
the evening and night. 
The Whip-poor-will is nine inches and a half long, and nineteen inches 
