178 
WHIP-POOR-WILL. 
and by dissection. Nine of these were found to be males, and 
four females. The former all corresponded in the markings 
and tints of their plumage ; the latter also agreed in their 
marks, differing slightly from the males, though evidently of 
the same species. Two others were shot as they rose from 
the nests, or rather from the eggs, which, in both eases, were 
two in number, lying on the open ground. These also agreed 
in the markings of their plumage with the four preceding ; 
and, on dissection, were found to be females. The eggs were 
also secured. A Whip-poor-will was shot in the evening, 
while in the act of repeating his usual and well known notes. 
This bird was found to be a male, differing in many remark- 
able particulars from all the former. Three others were shot 
at different times during the day, in solitary and dark shaded 
parts of the wood. Two of these were found to be females, 
one of which had been sitting on two eggs. The two females 
resembled each other almost exactly ; the male also corre- 
sponded in its markings with the one first found ; and all four 
were evidently of one species. The eggs differed from the 
former both in colour and markings. 
u The differences between these two birds were as follows : 
— The sides of the mouth in both sexes of the Whip-poor- 
will were beset with ranges of long and very strong bristles, 
extending more than half an inch beyond the point of the 
bill ; both sexes of the Night Hawk were entirely destitute of 
bristles. The bill of the Whip-poor-will was also more than 
twice the length of that of the Night Hawk. The long wing- 
quills, of both sexes of the Night Hawk, were of a deep 
brownish black, with a large spot of white nearly in their 
middle, and, when shut, the tips of 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 gradually to 
