r with uncertain flight； hovering and wheeling about the place； calling down dee…dee； dee…dee above your head until you have passed on your way； then promptly returning to the spot from whence they were disturbed。 Along the roadsides and pastures； where two or three birds are frequently seen together； they are too often mistaken for the vesper sparrows because of their similar size and coloring； but their easy； graceful walk should distinguish them at once from the hopping sparrow。 They often run to get ahead of some one in the lane； but rarely fly if they can help it； and then scarcely higher than a fence…rail。 Early in summer they are off for the mountains in the north。 Labrador is their chosen nesting ground； and they are said to place their grassy nest； lined with lichens or moss； flat upon the ground still another lark trait。 Their eggs are chocolate…brown scratched with black。
WHIPPOORWILL （Antrostomus vociferus） Goatsucker family
＇Called also： WHIP…POOR…WILL； AOU 1998＇
Length 9 to 10 inches。 About the size of the robin。 Apparently much larger； because of its long wings and wide wingspread。 Male A long…winged bird； mottled all over with reddish brown； grayish black； and dusky white； numerous bristles fringing the large mouth。 A narrow white band across the upper breast。 Tail quills on the end and under side white。 Female Similar to male； except that the tail is dusky in color where that of the male is white。 Band on breast buff instead of white。 Range United States； to the plains。 Not common near the sea。 Migrations Late April to middle of September。 Summer resident。
The whippoorwill； because of its nocturnal habits and plaintive note； is invested with a reputation for occult power which inspires a chilling awe among superstitious people； and leads them insanely to attribute to it an evil influence； but it is a harmless； useful night prowler； flying low and catching enormous numbers of hurtful insects； always the winged varieties； in its peculiar fly…trap mouth。
It loves the rocky； solitary woods； where it sleeps all day； but it is seldom seen； even after painstaking search； because of its dull； mottled markings conforming so nearly to rocks and dry leaves； and because of its unusual habit of stretching itself length…wise on a tree branch or ledge； where it is easily confounded with a patch of lichen； and thus overlooked。 If by accident one happens upon a sleeping bird； it suddenly rouses and flies away； making no more sound than a passing butterfly a curious and uncanny silence that is quite remarkable。 When the sun goes down and as the gloaming deepens； the bird's activity increases； and it begins its nightly duties； emitting from time to time； like a sentry on his post or a watchman of the night； the doleful call which has given the bird its common name。 It
〃Mourns unseen； and ceaseless sings Ever a note of wail and woe；〃
that our Dutch ancestors interpreted as 〃Quote…kerr…kee；〃 and so called it。 They had a tradition that no frost ever appeared after the bird had been heard calling in the spring； and that it wisely left for warmer skies before frost came in the autumn。 Prudent bird； never caught napping！
It is erratic in its choice of habitations； even when rock and solitude seem suited to its taste。 Very rarely is this odd bird found close to the seashore； and in the Hudson River valley it keeps a half mile or more back from the river。
The eggs； generally two in number； are creamy white； dashed with dark and olive spots； and laid on the ground on dry leaves； or in a little hollow in rock or stump never in a nest built with loving care。 But in extenuation of such carelessness it may be said that； if disturbed or threatened； the mother shows no lack of maternal instinct； and removes her young； carrying them in her beak as a cat conveys her kittens to secure shelter。
NIGHTHAWK （Chordeiles virginianus） Goatsucker family
Called also： NIGHTJAR； BULL…BAT； MOSQUITO HAWK； WILL…O'…THE…WISP； PISK； PIRAMIDIG； LONGWINGED GOATSUCKER； ＇COMMON NIGHTHAWK； AOU 1998＇
Length 9 to 10 inches。 About the same length as the robin； but apparently much longer because of its very wide wing…spread。 Male and Female Mottled blackish brown and rufous above； with a multitude of cream…yellow spots and dashes。 Lighter below； with waving bars of brown on breast and underneath。 White mark on throat； like an imperfect horseshoe； also a band of white across tail of male bird。 These latter markings are wanting in female。 Heavy wings； which are partly mottled； are brown on shoulders and tips； and longer than tail。 They have large white spots； conspicuous in flight； one of their distinguishing marks from the whippoorwill。 Head large and depressed； with large eyes and ear…openings。 Very small bill。 Range From Mexico to arctic islands。 Migrations May。 October。 Common summer resident。
The nighthawk's misleading name could not well imply more that the bird is not： it is not nocturnal in its habits； neither is it a hawk； for if it were； no account of it would be given in this book； which distinctly excludes birds of prey。 Stories of its chicken…stealing prove to be ignorant rather than malicious slanders。 Any one disliking the name； however； surely cannot complain of a limited choice of other names by which； in different sections of the country； it is quite as commonly known。
Too often it is mistaken for the whippoorwill。 The night hawk does not have the weird and woful cry of that more dismal bird； but gives instead a harsh； whistling note while on the wing； followed by a vibrating； booming； whirring sound that Nuttall likens to 〃the rapid turning of a spinning wheel； or a strong blowing into the bung…hole of an empty hogshead。〃 This peculiar sound is responsible for the name nightjar； frequently given to this curious bird。 It is said to be made as the bird drops suddenly through the air； creating a sort of stringed instrument of its outstretched wings and tail。 When these wings are spread； their large white spots running through the feathers to the under side should be noted to further distinguish the nighthawk from the whippoorwill； which has none； but which it otherwise closely resembles。 This booming sound； coming from such a height that the bird itself is often unseen； was said by the Indians to be made by the shad spirits to warn the scholes of shad about to ascend the rivers to spawn in the spring； of their impending fate。
The flight of the nighthawk is free and graceful in the extreme。 Soaring through space without any apparent motion of its wings； suddenly it darts with amazing swiftness like an erratic bat after the fly； mosquito； beetle； or moth that falls within the range of its truly hawk…like eye。
Usually the nighthawks hunt in little companies in the most sociable fashion。 Late in the summer they seem to be almost gregarious。 They fly in the early morning or late afternoon with beak wide open； hawking for insects； but except when the moon is full they are not known to go a…hunting after sunset。 During the heat of the day and at night they rest on limbs of trees； fence…rails； stone walls； lichen…covered rocks or old logs wherever Nature has provided suitable mimicry of their plumage to help conceal them。
With this object in mind； they quite as often choose a hollow surface of rock in some waste pasture or the open ground on which to deposit the two speckled…gray eggs that sixteen days later will give birth to their family。 But in August； when family cares have ended for the season； it is curious to find this bird of the thickly wooded country readily adapting itself to city life； resting on Mansard roofs； darting into the streets from the housetops； and wheeling about the electric lights； making a hearty supper of the little； winged insects they attract。
BLACK…BILLED CUCKOO （Coccyzus erythrophthalmus） Cuckoo family
Called also： RAIN CROW
Length 11 to 12 inches。 About one…fifth larger than the robin。 Male Grayish brown above； with bronze tint in feathers。 Underneath grayish white； bill； which is long as head and black； arched and acute。 Skin about the eye bright red。 Tail long； and with spots on tips of quills that are small and inconspicuous。 Female Has obscure dusky bars on the tail。 Range Labrador to Panama； westward to Rocky Mountains。 Migration May。 September。 Summer resident。
〃O cuckoo！ shalt I call thee bird？ Or but a wandering voice？〃
From the tangled shrubbery on the hillside back of Dove Cottage； Keswick； where Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy listened for the coming of this 〃darling of the spring〃； in the willows overhanging Shakespeare's Avon； from the favorite haunts of Chaucer and Spenser； where
〃Runneth meade and springeth blede；〃
we hear the cuckoo calling； but how many on this side of the Atlantic are familiar with its American counterpart？ Here； too； the cuckoo delights in running water and damp； cloudy weather like that of an English spring； it haunts the willows by our river…sides； where as yet no 〃immortal bard〃 arises to give it fame。 It 〃loud sings〃 in our shrubbery； too。 Indeed； if we cannot study our bird afield； the next best place to become acquainted with it is in t