The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-03-12

struggling focks they begin their long
journey South. The winter is spent
in Florida, the West Indies and some
even go farther towards the tropics.
The whip poor will also it's winter in
the South. In Guilford county the
first ones are heard about March 18th.
Nowhere abundant, they are more or.
less common in all parts of the State
Their eggs, as every one knows who
has been so fortunate as to spend
portion of his life in the county, are
placed on the ground on dead leaves or
pieces of bark. Unlike the nighthawk,
the nest is usually in sheltered place,
little thicket or beneath the spread
ing branches of low tree. Such shell
tered places seem to be chosen as if to
shield the eggs from the hoofs of feed
ing cattle. Not until the twilight has
deepened into gloom does the whip
poor-will come forth. Then from the
fence rail or low limb does his plaintive
cry arouse his friend in the neighbor-
ing thicket to answer. The flight con
sists of short excursions, and is not
long protracted like that of the night
hawk. Tt is not very easy matter to
capture whip -poorWill or get good
view of one, this probably one reason
why many are unable to distinguish
the two birds The one mounted speci-
men now in our Museum Isecured late
one evening as it sat on the bent stem
of a low apple tree calling loudly.
Cautiously approaching and STOPPING
low so as to bring the tree in outline
against the sky, saw on the old bent
trunk the bird as it raised it's head as
the call issued. 1t was secured by a
fortunate shot.
It will be remembered that the
plumage of birds is well adpted to the
mode of life they lead. Thus in the
hawk, which feeds by day, the feathers
lie close, the wings are hard and com
pact, as it depends for it's prey on its
rapidity of flight and ability to turn
quickly on short angles. In the owl,
which procures it's food by stealth, the
wings are not so powerful, the feathers
are very long and fit loosely over the
body. Thus the flight is rendered al
most noiseless; thus, too, the abundance
of long feathers serve to keep off the
chills Of night. Equally true, but not
so marked is the plumage OF the two
birds now under discussion. The night
hawk flies more by day, its wings are
more powerful and the feathers are not
so long and lie closer than those Of the
whip-poor-wiH.
By examining the mounted speci-
%I1n Not r Nr1T
tion here, the birds show the following
marked difference in general appear
ance: The nighthawk is in length 81
inches, extent of wings % inches, tail
little over inches The back mostly
black, being mottIed with brown and
grey. Breast barred with white, black
and iron colored markings. Wings
dusky with large white spot mid
way the primaries and extending over
five of the large outer wing feathers
By these spots the bird may be easily
distinguished when flying over. In
length the whip poor will is about the |
same as it's more agile cousin, but the |
extent of wings is not SO great by six |
or seven inches The wings are much |
more rounded, are dark In color and |
crossed by spotted bars of --. Tail /
feathers black, the tips being white in |
the male and tawny in the female. |
When the young begin to demand the |
attention of the parent, the whip poor
will ceases to call. When the last days |
of summer arrive our nocturnal song
ster is pluming his feathers for tie |
long flight towards the South. In the
early autumn as one sits out all night |
by the tobacco barn the whip poor wills |
song is no longer heard, and the weary |
watcher during the long hours OF dark
ness hears only the chirp Of the katy |
did, the shiveFing note of the screech
owl or the long drawn challenge OF the
cock from the neighboring farmhouse.
The whip poor-wil has sought more
Southern cline.
~ CupE.pT PEARSON.