CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW. 
465 
vibrations of its wings, appearing as it were to swim in the air 
in widening circles, shooting backwards and forwards through 
the ambient space at great elevations, and yet scarcely moving 
its wings. Now and then it is heard to utter, in a hurried 
manner, a sound like tsip tstp tsip isee tsee. It is never seen to 
alight but in hollow trees or chimneys, and appears always 
most gay and active in wet and gloomy weather. 
Near the Atlantic border this species is found north to 50°, but 
in the West it ranges still farther northward. 
CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW. 
Antrostomus carolinensis. 
Char. Gape extremely wide, the rictal bristles with lateral filaments. 
General color reddish brown mottled with black, white, and tawny ; throat 
with collar of pale tawny, terminal third of outer tail-feathers white or 
buffy; under parts tawny white. Length il to 12 inches. 
Nest. In open woods or dense thicket. No attempt is made at build- 
ing a receptacle for the eggs, which are laid on the bare ground or upon 
fallen leaves. 
Eggs. 2; white or buffish, marked with brown and lavender; 1.40 
X 1. 00. 
The Carolina Goatsucker is seldom seen to the north of 
Virginia, though in the interior its migrations extend up the 
shores of the Mississippi to the 38th degree. After wintering 
in some part of the tropical continent of America, it arrives in 
Georgia and Louisiana about the middle of March, and in Vir- 
ginia early in April. Like the following species, it commences 
its singular serenade of ' chuck-’’ will' s-widow in the evening 
soon after sunset, and continues it with short intermptions for 
several hours. Towards morning the note is also renewed 
until the opening dawn. In the day, like some wandering 
spirit, it retires to secrecy and silence, as if the whole had only 
been a disturbed dream. In a still evening this singular call 
mav be heard for half a mile, its tones being slower, louder, 
and more full than those of the Whip-poor-will. The species 
is particularly numerous in the vast forests of the Mississippi, 
VOL. I. — 30 
