i8 
MANUAL OF TAXIDERMY. 
straying from their retreats. A good way to 
secure these birds is to note as accurately as pos- 
sible the point where one begins to sing ; then, on 
the following evening, conceal yourself near the 
spot, when the bird will be seen to emerge from 
its retreat and alight on some particular rock, post, 
or branch, on which it invariably perches, and utters 
its song. Then if the bird be too far away to 
secure at the time, it may readily be taken another 
evening by the collector posting himself nearer. 
These birds may also be started from their con- 
cealment during daylight, and thus be shot. The 
night-hawks inhabit the more open sections, but 
perch on trees during the day. They may readily 
be secured while flying over the fields. 
CypselidjE : Swifts.— The white-throated swift 
occurs among the clefts of the Rocky Mountains, 
and is exceedingly difficult to procure. The well- 
known chimney swift inhabits chimneys almost 
everywhere, but, as it never alights outside of these 
retreats, must be shot on the wing. 
Trochilid^e : Hummingbirds. — Inhabit as a 
rule the open country. I have secured numbers of 
our ruby-throats on cherry-trees when they were 
in blossom, and later, on beds of flowers ; and I 
presume the western species may be found in sim- 
