civi AxCEDINIDa:. BIBDS. CAPEIMULGIDffl. 
WRIGHT’S FLY-CATCHER {E. oUcurus) is found 
in tlie Rocky Mountains of 'I'exas. “ Tlie most de- 
cided character of this species is seen in the combi- 
nation of tlie narrow bill and the white outer mar- 
gin of the external tail feather, together with the 
long tarsi. The colors are much like those of mini- 
mus and trailli ; the yellow beneath is, however, 
m ore och raceous. ’ ’ — Baird. 
HAMMOND’S FLY-CATCHER {E. hmnmondi).— 
“'I'his species is at once distinguished from all the 
North American 'ryrannulas, except obscurus, by the 
extreme narrowness of its bill. Its colors above are 
those of acadicus, while the general effect is much 
more that of flaviventris, although less brightly olive. 
The tail, instead of being nearly even, is quite deeply 
forked. 'I'he differences from obscurus are less easi- 
ly expressed. It is, however, considerably smaller 
and more olivaceous above and below. The tarsi 
are much shorter. The most tangible character is 
seen in the absence of white on the outer web of the 
external tail feather, which is only a little paler 
brown than elsewhere. This species inhabits the 
region about Port Tejon and Los Angeles.” — Baird. 
BUFF-BREASTED LEAST FLY-CATCHER {Mitre- 
flwrus fulvifrons). — Found in the southern border 
of the Middle Province of the United States, also 
at Fort Whipple and in Arizona. 
RED FLY-CATCHER [Pyrocephalus rubinem ). — 
'J'his genus is shaped something like saxicola. Its 
single North American species is readily distin- 
guished among other Fly-catchers by the bright red 
of the under parts. The species is very showy, the 
crown and whole under parts being bright carmine in 
color. The head has a full rounded or globular crest. 
It is from the valleys of the Rio Grande and Gila. 
Family — ALCEDINIDaE. 
BELTED KINGFISHER [Geryle alcyon). — 'I’his is a 
very familiar bird in the Northern States, and is a 
very common summer iidiabitant of New England. 
Sometimes it is seen in Maine in the winter. Its 
food is chiefly fish. “He courses along the wind- 
ings of the brook or river, at a small height above 
the surface — sometimes suspending himself by the 
rapid action of his wings, like certain species of 
Hawks, ready to pounce on the prey below — now and 
then settling on an old, dead, overhanging limb to 
reconnoitre. Mill-dams are particularly visited by 
this feathered fisher ; and the sound of his pipe is as 
well known to the miller as the rattling of his own 
hopper. Rapid streams, with high, perpendicular 
banks — particularly if they be of a hard, clayey or 
sandy nature — are also favorite places of resort for 
this bird, not only because in such places the small 
fish are more exposed to view, but because those 
steep and dry banks are the chosen situations for his 
nest. 'I’hey are very tenacious of their haunts, breed- 
ing for several successive years in the same hole, and 
do not readily forsake it, even though it be visited.” 
— Wilson. 'I’he sight of the Kingfisher is singu- 
larly keen, and even when passing with its meteor- 
like flight over the country, it will check itself sud- 
denly in mid career, hovering over the spot for a 
short time, watching the fishes as they swim, and 
then, in a peculiar, spiral manner, plunging in to se- 
cure its prize. It is found over the entire continent. 
FAJimv— CAPRIMULGlDHi). 
WHIP-POOR-WILL [Antrostomus vociferus) — Plate 
IV, fig. i. — 'I’his is a very familiar bird in the North- 
ern States, though it is seldom seen. Many have 
heard its plaintive notes who entertain a supersti- 
tious dread on account of the peculiar time and 
manner of utterance. It inhabits the most secluded 
spots of the deep woods, and sallies forth at night 
only, in search of insect food, which consists largely 
of the great nocturnal moths. Its peculiar note is 
heard at early eve, hardly before dark, and is contin- 
ued into the night. “ Its notes,” says Wilson. “ seem 
pretty plainly to articulate the words which have 
been generally applied to them — -Whip-poor-will ! — 
the first and last syllables being uttered with great 
emphasis, and the whole in about a second to each 
repetition ; but when two or more males meet, their 
Whip-poor-will altercations become much more rapid 
and incessant, as if each were striving to overpower 
or silence the other. When near, you often hear an 
introductory cluch between the notes. At these 
times, as well as at almost all others, they fly low — 
not more than a few feet from the surface — skimmins: 
about the house and before the door, alighting on the 
wood-pile or settling on thereof. 'Towards midnight 
they generally become silent.” “'I’he Whip-poor-will 
is nowhere a resident species in any portion of the 
United States. 'I’hey make their appearance in the 
Southern States early in March, and very gradually 
proceed northward, reaching New England about 
the 10th of May. It is exclusively nocturnal, keep- 
ing, during the day, closely within the recesses of 
dark woods, and remaining perfectly silent, uttering 
no note even when disturbed in these retreats. In 
very cloudy weather, late in the day, these birds may 
be seen hunting for insects; but this is not usual, 
and they utter no sound until it is quite dark. 'I’he 
cry is never uttered when the bird is in motion, but 
usually at short intervals, when resting on a fence 
or bush or any other object near the ground. Their 
flight is noiseless to an incredible degree, and they 
rarely fly far at a time.” — North American Birds. 
'I’his bird resorts to various expedients to deceive in- 
truders into the belief that it is wounded. 'I’he 
female has no nest, but deposits her eggs among 
the fallen leaves in the shadiest portion of the 
woods, where she remains until nearly trodden on. 
When obliged to leave, she will suddenly flutter 
from her place, and limp away, with wings and tail 
awry, and having every appearance of being wounded. 
CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW [A. carolinensis). — 'V\ns, 
species is seldom seen north of Virginia, and is more 
common in Florida than any other section. Its hab- 
its are the same as those of the iireceding species. 
Audubon describes the removal of the eggs and 
young by this bird when the nest has been disturbed. 
He says that they are conveyed in their capacious 
