( 63 ) 
^he Whip-Poor-Will, or lejfer Goat-Sucker. 
T his Bird, for Shape, Colour, and Agreement in moft Particulars, is like the Bird 
called in England the Night-Hawk, or Goat-Sucker, except that it hath feme Marks 
different, and is a third Part left. It is called in Virginia, Whip-Poor-Will, from its Cry, 
which nearly refembles thofe Words ; the Figure reprefents it of its natural Size. 
The Bill is very fmall, of a Black Colour, yet the Mouth is very wide, the Angles or 
Corners of it extending under and beyond the Eyes j the Sides of the Head round the 
Eyes are of a light Brown, inclining to Adi-colour 5 on the Throat it hath a Half-Moon, 
like Spots of White, the Corners of which turn up towards the Ears ; the Top of the 
Head, upper Side of the Neck, Back, upper Coverts of the Wings and Tail, are cover d 
with dark brown Feathers, tranfverily barred, and fprinkled with a lighter Blown, 
and fome little Mixture of Alh-colour, mixed and blended in an irregular Manner ; fi'om 
the Bill there paffes over the Eyes down the Sides of the Neck fome bright Spots of 
Orange-colour; and on the upper Coverts of the Wing are fome pretty diflindt 
Spots of light Brown ; the Qmlls are Dusky, or near Black ; the five firil: have a white 
Spot paffes through them, which paffes through both Webs and Shafts, except the outer 
Web, and the Shaft of the outermoft Quill ; this Spot appears within and without Side 
of the Wings ; the covert Feathers within Side of the Wings are White, with a Cloud of 
Orange barred a-crofs with tranfverfe dusky Lines ; the whole under Side, and 
Feathers under the Tail are White, with fome Mixture of faint Orange, regularly croffed 
with Lines of dusky Black ; the lower Part of the white Spot on the Throat is tindlured 
with Orange-colour ; the Legs and Feet are very fmall, feather d a little 
Knees, of a Flefli-colour ; the outer and middle Toes are joined a little way by a Memr- 
brane ; the two Middle Claws are toothed within -fide ; the Tail hath on each Side to- 
wards the End a white Spot in the Feathers. ^ • j u . 
Mr, Mark Catesby obliged me with this Bird; it was brought from Virginia^ and theie 
was another brought with it, which compared in all its Marks, but more obfcure, which 
I fuppofe to be the Female. ^ , • j 
To illuftrate this Hiftory, I fhall add a Quotation from a Letter Mr. received 
with thefe Birds from a Gentleman in America, They come to Virginia about the 
Middle of Aprils from which Time, till the End of June^ they are heard every Night, 
beginning about Dusk, and continuing till Break of Day ; but it is chiedy in the upper 
‘‘ or Weftern Parts that they are fo frequent: I never heard but one in the Maritime 
Parts ; but near the Mountains in the Month of May^ within a few Minutes after bun 
“ fet, they begin, and make fo very loud and fhrill a Noife all Night, which the Ecchoes 
“ from the Mountains increafe to fuch a Degree, that the firft Time I lodged ^ 
could hardly deep : They are feldom feen in the Day-time. The imagine thele 
“ Birds are the Souls of their Anceftors formerly flaughtered by the Englifi^ and lay, 
“ that they never appeared in their Country before that Slaughter. Mar^ People here 
“ look on them as Birds of Ill-omen. I have been informed they lay tv.ro Eggs ot a dark 
“ Green, fpotted and fcrolled with Black, in the plain beaten Paths, without any ign 
“ of a Neft, upon which they fit very dole, and will fuffer a near Approach beioie they 
