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Range (Eastern North America north) (II)

Eastern North America, north to New Brunswick and Manitoba; winters from Florida southward.

Washington, common S. R., Apl. 15 to Oct. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 19 to Oct. 17. Cambridge, common S. R., Apl. 28 to Sept. 20. Eggs, two, laid on the ground or leaves, in woods or thickets; dull white, with delicate, obscure lilac markings and a few distinct brownish gray spots, 1.18 x 84.

In walking through rather densely grown woods I have sometimes been surprised by having a Whip-poor-will fly up from beneath my feet and disappear in the surrounding growth. I say surprised, because the bird's flight is as noiseless as a moth's, and this unusual, ghostly silence is almost as startling as the whir of a Grouse. The Whip-poor-will's day begins when the sun goes down. Then NIGHTHAWKS, WHIP-POOR-WILLS, ETC. he passes out into bushy fields near his home, and, flying low, catches his supper on the wing. Between courses he rests on some low perch, and gives utterance to the notes familiar to many who have never seen their author. Whip'-poor-will', whip'-poor-will' he calls, rapidly and with unexpected snap and vigor. If one is quite near the singer, a preliminary chuck may be heard before each call. These notes are given for about two hours after sunset and for a short time before sunrise.

It is a singular fact that, in spite of the marked difference in their habits and notes, the Nighthawk and Whip-poor-will are frequently considered to be the same species. It is not the only case, however, where the notes of some species difficult of observation have been attributed to a species whose habits render it conspicuous. 420. Chordeiles virginianus (Gmel.). NIGHTHAWK; BULL-BAT. (See Fig. 38.) Ad. 8. - Upper parts black, irregularly marked with whitish, cream-buff, or ochraceous-buff; primaries fuscous, crossed in the middle by a conspicuous white bar which, rarely reaches the outer vane of the first primary; tail fuscous or black, with broken bars of cream-buff and a white band near the end on all but the middle feathers; throat with a broad white band; chin and upper breast black, the feathers tipped with ochraceous-buff, creambuff, or white; the rest of the under parts barred with black and white, sometimes tinged with buff. Ad. 2.-Similar, but with no white on the tail, throat-patch ochraceous-buff, under parts more or less washed with ochraceous-buff. L., 10.00; W., 7.85; T., 4·60; B., 25.