mandible straight, the dorsal line slightly convex, the sides at the base
flat, towards the end rounded, the edges inclinate. Nostrils basal, lateral,
round, covered by bristly feathers. Head large, neck short, body moderate.
Legs of moderate length, strong, tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly
with scutella, sharp behind ; toes united at the base, the middle
toe long, the outer longer than the inner, the hind toe robust; claws rather
large, arched, compressed, acute, channelled beneath.
Plumage soft, highly glossed, on the head and neck blended, on the
back compact. Stiff bristly feathers, with disunited barbs over the nostrils,
directed forwards and adpressed. Wings long, first primary short,
third longest, fourth little shorter, seventh equal to first; primaries tapering,
second, third, fourth, and fifth, slightly cut out on the outer web;
secondaries broad, rounded with a minute acumen.
Tail of moderate length, slightly rounded, of twelve straight feathers.
Beak, tarsi, toes, and claws, black. Iris dark brown. The general
colour of the plumage is deep black, with blue and purple reflections
above, blue and greenish beneath; the colouring being almost the same
as that of the Common American Crow.
Length 16 inches, extent of wings 33 ; bill along the back ; tarsus
1 | ; middle toe and claw
Adult Female. Plate CXLVI. Fig. 2.
The female is considerably smaller, but resembles the male in plumage,
although the gloss not quite so rich, and the reflections more brown
on the upper parts.
Length 15 inches, extent of wings 31.
THE HONEY LOCUST.
GLEDITSCHIA TitiACANTHOS, Willd. Sp. PL vol. iv. p. 1097- Pursh, Fl. Amer.
vol. ii. p. 221—POLIGAMIA DKECIA, Linn. LEGUMINOSA, JUSS.
See Vol. I. p. 226.
THE NIGHT-HAWK.
CAPRIMULGUS VIRGINIANUS, BRISS.
P L A T E C X L V I I . MALE AND FEMALE.
THE name of this bird disagrees with the most marked characteristics
of its habits, for it may be seen, and has frequently been seen, on the
wing, during the greater part of the day, even when the atmosphere is
perfectly pure and clear, and while the sun is shining in all its glory. It
is equally known that the Night-Hawk retires to rest shortly after dusk,
at the very time when the loud notes of the Whip-poor-will, or those of
the Chuck-wiUVwidow, both of which are nocturnal ramblers, are heard
echoing from the places to which these birds resort.
About the 1st of April, the Night-Hawk makes its appearance in the
lower parts of Louisiana, on its way eastward. None of them breed in
that State, or in that of Mississippi, nor I am inclined to believe any
where south of the neighbourhood of Charleston, in South Carolina.
The species is, however, seen in all the Southern States, on its passage to
and from those of the east. The Night-Hawks pass with so much comparative
swiftness over Louisiana in the spring, that in a few days after
their first appearance none are to be seen ; nor are any to be found there
until their return in autumn, when, on account of the ample supply of
food they still meet with at this late season, they remain several weeks,
gleaning the insects off the cotton fields, waste lands, or sugar plantations,
and gambolling over the prairies, lakes or rivers, from morning till
night. Their return from the Middle Districts varies according to the
temperature of the season, from the 15th of August to late in October.
Their migrations are carried on over so great an extent, and that so
loosely, that you might conceive it their desire to glean the whole country,
as they advance with a front extending from the mouths of the Mississippi
to the Rocky Mountains, passing in this manner from the south
far beyond our eastern boundary lines. Thus they are enabled to disperse
and breed throughout the whole Western and Eastern States, from
South Carolina to Maine. On their way they may be seen passing over
our cities and villages, alighting on the trees that embellish our streets,
VOL. II. s