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456 WHIP-POOR-WILL. 
the wings extended a little beyond the tail. The wing quills of 
the Whip-poor-will, of both sexes, were beautifully spotted 
with light brown, had no spot of white on them, and when shut 
the tips of the wings did not reach to the tip of the tail by at 
least two inches. The tail of the Night-hawk was handsomely 
forked, the exterior feathers being the longest, shortening gra- 
dually to the middle ones; the tail of the Whip-poor-will was 
rounded, the exterior feathers being the shortest, lengthening 
gradually to the middle ones. 
“After a careful examination of these and several other re- 
markable dilferences, it was impossible to withstand the convic- 
tion that these birds belonged to two distinct species of the same 
genus, differing in size, colour, and conformation of parts. 
“ A statement of the principal of these facts having been laid 
before Mr. Bartram, together with a male and female of each 
of the above mentioned species, and also a male of the Great 
Virginian Bat, or Chuck-will’ s-widow, after a particular exami- 
nation that venerable naturalist was pleased to declare himself 
fully satisfied; adding that he had now no doubt of the Night- 
hawk and the Whip-poor-will being two very distinct species 
of Caprimulgus. 
“ It is not the intention of the writer of this to enter at pre- 
sent into a description of either the plumage, manners, migra- 
tions, or economy of these birds, the range of country they in- 
habit, or the superstitious notions entertained of them; his only 
object at present is the correction of an error, which, from the 
respectability of those by whom it was unwarily adopted, has 
been but too extensively disseminated, and received by too 
many as a truth. ” 
END OP VOL. II. 
