Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-06-15
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, JUNE 49, 1858.
The Whippoorwill.

While enioving comfortable chair upon the
piazza last night and rejecting upon the events
of the day, our thoughts were disturbed by the
far off strain of Whippoorwill. 1t twas the first
we had heard this season, and its cad music a.
wakened train of reflections.
While the air of Spring is filled with the songs
of thousand warblers by day, by night is heard
the mournful chant Of the Whippoorwill. Bu-
ried deep in the groves of Southern land, and
nesting quietly beneath tropical sun, this lover
of warmth and comfort chases away the long
winter months; and when the meridian sun a.
gain breaks the ice and dissolves the snow, when
the green grass once more shoots up and the
| trees leaf in their usual order, away, away he
flies. and the old haunts of his tirdish love know
him once again. The bright glare of day seems
to have no charm for him; unlike other feath-
cred songsters, he prefers to sing at night
When all is silent save the low chirps of the
Katydid and an occasional hoot of the Owl, the
| little melancholy bird of the night comes forth
from his hidden nook, and seating himself upon
bough, rocked by the evening wind, he begins
his plaintive chant "Whippoorwill." This is
soon caught up and echoed back by another of
his tribe, and another viii take up the strain,
and thus it is carried from throat to throat, until
the forest air vibrates with the melancholy song.
This serenade continues long after all other
winged and creeping things are asleep; and not
until the first streaks of sunlight tint the tree
tops do they cease their night wall and retire to
their hidden and leafy recesses; there they rest
in security and quiet until the twilight chirp of
the Katydid calls them forth again.
The Whippoorwill is about the size of robin
has long tail, and its color is lghtish brown;
is rather pretty bird than otherwise. 1t is
sometimes called "Brd of the Night" from its
peculiar habit of being hidden all day when 9TH
er birds are out, and coming forth at night.
Many years ago we remember visiting the
ruins of an old church yard the graves were
mostly fiattened by time, and the few grave
stones it boasted were mouldering with age. 1t
was just after twilight and all was still and Sc
rene IN that old burial place save plaintive
note from "Whippoorwill." Following the
direction of the sound it brought US to little
grave, with small stone at the head; it bore
this simple inscription, sour Willie" Retreat
ing again to little distance, and waiting for a
sound from the hidden songster, were presently
gratifisd by seeing little bird perched upon a
low limb of an oak which grew Immediately at
the boys head, open his throat and emit the
slow mournful notes which had just attracted
our attention. The summer wind played in the
long grass and stirred the leaves of the oak, and
while the twilight shaded more and more into
night, the loving little "Whippoorwill'' sang
louder and more loud over the little lonely boy
and we thought as we turned homeward, we
had never heard more touching or solemn re-
quiem.- Wilmington (N. O) Herald Of May 20.