NIGHT HAWK. 7 
own country. Of this I shall endeavour to divest it in 
the present account. 
Three species only, of this genus, are found within 
the United States ; the chuck-will* s-widow, the whip- 
poor-will, and the night hawk. The first of these is 
confined to those States lying south of Maryland ; the 
other two are found generally over the Union, but are 
frequently confounded one with the other, and by some 
supposed to be one and the same bird. A comparison 
of this with the figure of the whip-poor-will will satisfy 
those who still have their doubts on this subject ; and 
the great difference of manners which distinguishes each 
will render this still more striking and satisfactory. 
On the last week in April, the night hawk commonly 
makes its first appearance in this part of Pennsylvania. 
At what particular period they enter Georgia, I am 
unable to say ; but I find, by my notes, that, in passing 
to New Orleans by land, I first observed this bird in 
Kentucky on the 21st of April. They soon after dis- 
perse generally over the country, from the sea shore to 
the mountains, even to the heights of the Alleghany ; 
and are seen, towards evening, in pairs, playing about, 
high in air, pursuing their prey, wasps, flies, beetles, 
and various other winded insects of the larger sort. 
About the middle of May, the female begins to lay. 
No previous preparation or construction of nest is 
made ; though doubtless the particular spot has been 
reconnoitred and determined on. This is sometimes in 
an open space in the woods, frequently in a ploughed 
field, or in the corner of a corn field. The eggs are 
placed on the bare ground, in all cases on a dry situa- 
tion, where the colour of the leaves, ground, stones, or 
other circumjacent parts of the surface may resemble 
the general tint of the eggs, and thereby render them 
less easy to be discovered. The eggs are most com- 
monly two, rather oblong, equally thick at both ends, 
of a dirty bluish white, and marked with innumerable 
touches of dark olive brown. To the immediate neigh- 
bourhood of this spot the male and female confine 
themselves, roosting on the high trees adjoining during 
