eir plumage is
mottled black, brownish and white, resembling the ground upon which they
lay their eggs.

[Illustration 264.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 263

416. CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW. _Antrostomus carolinensis._

Range.--South Atlantic and Gulf States, breeding north to Virginia and
Indiana, and west to Arkansas and eastern Texas.

These birds are abundant summer residents in the southern portions of
their range, but as they are silent and hiding in the woods during the
day time, they are not as popularly known as are most birds. They rarely
fly during the day time unless disturbed from their roosting place which
is on the ground under underbrush or in hollow logs. Their notes, which
are a rapid and repeatedly uttered whistling repetition of their name,
are heard until late in the night. They nest during April, May or June,
laying two eggs on the ground amid the leaves in woods or scrubby
underbrush. The eggs are grayish to creamy white in color, handsomely
marked with shades of lilac, gray and brownish; size 1.40 x 1.00.

417. WHIP-POOR-WILL. _Antrostomus vociferus vociferus._

Range.--North America east of the Plains; north to the southern parts of
the British possessions; winters along the Gulf coast and southward.

This species is well known, by sound, in nearly all parts of its range,
but comparatively few ever observed the bird, and probably the greater
number mistake the Nighthawk for this species. The two species can
readily be distinguished at a distance by the absence of any pronounced
white marking in the wings, and by the white tips to the outer tail
feathers in the present species, while the Night Hawk has a prominent
white band across the tail, but the top is black, and the tail slightly
forked. The Whip-poor-will, rarely leaves its place of concealment
before dark, and is never seen flying about cities, as are the
Nighthawks. In their pursuit of insects, they glide like a shadow over
fields and woods, their soft plumage giving forth no sound as their
wings cleave the air. Until late at night, their whistling cry
"whip-poor-will," repeated at intervals, rings out in all wooded hilly
districts. Their two eggs are deposited on the ground among dead leaves,
generally in dense woods. They are grayish white or cream color marbled
with pale brown and gray, with fainter markings of lilac. Size 1.50 x
.85.

[Illustration 265: Grayish white.]
[Illustration: Chuck-will's-widow.]
[Illustrati