NIGHT HAWK. 9 
® foot or two before she attempts to stir, and, 
^ on she does, it is in such a fluttering, tumbling man- 
b‘ ^ W’ith such appearance of a lame and wounded 
’™i as nine times in ten to deceive the person, and 
nouce him to pursue her. This “ pious fraud,” as the 
” ffi .'ff'orason calls it, is kept up until the person is 
j. ceutly removed from the nest, when she imme- 
ately mounts and disappears. When the young are 
^'atched, it is diflScult to distinguish them from the 
surface of the ground, their down being of a pale 
orownish colour, and they are altogether destitute of 
the common shape of birds, sitting so fixed and so 
Squat ^ to be easily mistaken for a slight prominent 
mouldincss lying on the ground. I cannot say whether 
they have two brood iiv the season ; 1 rather conjecture 
that they have g’enerally hut one. 
The night hawk is a bird of strong and vigorous 
flight, and of large volume of wing. It often visits the 
city, darting and squeaking over the streets at a great 
height, diving perpendicularly with the same hollow 
sound as before described. I have also seen them 
**ff*“S ou chimney tops in some of the most busy parts 
occasionally uttering then- common note. 
When the weather happens to be wet and gloomy, 
e night hawks are seen abroad at all times of the 
_uy, geuerally at a considerable height ; their favourite 
ime, however, is from two hours before sunset until 
uusk. At such times they seem all vivacity, darting 
out in the air in every direction, making frequent 
snort sudden turnings, as if busily engaged in catching 
sects, liven in the hottest, clearest weather, they are 
ccasionally seen abroad, squeaking at short intervals. 
ba*t^ '**^*'1 often found sitting along the fences, 
in tn?mselves in the sun. Near the sea-shore, 
the vicinity of extensive salt marshes, they are 
i., tu uiimeroHS, skimming over the meadow's, 
e manner of swallow's, until it is so dark that the 
““ 
j . w’oundcd and taken, they attempt to intimi- 
6 you by opening their mouth to its utmost stretch. 
