Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/313

Rh scarcely one could be seen there. When returning from the northern districts at a late period of the year, they pass close over the woods, and with so much rapidity, that you can obtain only a single glimpse of them. While at Indian Key, on the coast of Florida, 1 saw a pair of these birds killed by lightning, while they were on wing, during a tremendous thunder-storm. They fell on the sea, and after picking them up I exa- mined them carefully, but failed to discover the least appearance of injury on the feathers or in the internal parts.

Caprimulgus virginianus, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 585 — Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 62.

Caprimulgus (Chordeii.es) virginianus, Swains, and Uichards, part. i. p. 62.

Night-Hawk, Caprimulgus Americancs, Wils. Amer. Ornith, vol. v. p. 65. pi. 40.

fig. 1. Male ; fig. 2. Female — Nuttall, Manual, part. i. p. 619.

Adult Male. Plate CXLVII. Fig. 1.

Bill extremely short, feeble, opening to beyond the eyes, the mouth, when open, appearing of enormous width ; upper mandible, in its dorsal outline straight at first, deflected at the end, very broad at the base, and suddenly contracted towards the tip, which is compressed and rather obtuse ; lower mandible a little recurved at the tip. Nostrils basal, oval, prominent, covered above by a membrane. Head large, depressed. Eyes and ears very large. Neck short, body rather slender. Feet very short and feeble ; tarsus partly feathered, anteriorly scutellate below ; fore-toes three, connected by webs as far as the second joint, scutellate above.; claws very small, curved, compressed, acute ; that of the middle larger, curved outwards, with the inner edge expanded and pectinate.

Plumage blended, soft, but with the feathers distinct, slightly glossed. Upper mandible margined with short bristles. Wings very long, some- what falcate, narrow, the first and second quills longest, and almost equal. Tail rather long, ample, forked, of ten broad, rounded feathers.

Bill black. Iris dark-brown. Feet purplish-brown, the claws dark-brown. Head and upper surface in general brownish-black, mottled with white and pale reddish-brown. Secondary quills tipped with brownish-white. A conspicuous white bar extending across the inner web of the first, and the whole breadth of the second, third, fourth, and fifth primaries. Tail-feathers barred with brownish-grey, the four outer on each side plain brownish-black towards the end;, with a white spot. Sides of