nnetti._

Range.--A very pale species with little or no tawny; found in the Great
Plains from Texas north to the Saskatchewan; winters south of the United
States.

421. TEXAS NIGHTHAWK. _Chordeiles acutipennis texensis._

Range.--Mexico and Central America, breeding north to southern Utah and
California.

The pattern of the marking of this species is finer and more mottled
with rusty than the Nighthawk. Its habits do not differ to any extent
from those of the preceding species; they lay their two mottled gray
eggs upon the bare ground, often on the dry sand and in arid regions
where they are exposed, with no protection, to the scorching rays of the
sun. The eggs vary endlessly in extent of markings, some being very pale
and others very dark gray, mottled with various shades of gray, brown
and lilac. Size 1.10 x .75.

SWIFTS. Family MICROPODIDAE

422. BLACK SWIFT. _Cypseloides niger borealis._

Range.--Mountain ranges from Central America north to British Columbia,
locally distributed throughout its range.

The plumage of this Swift is entirely sooty black, darkest above; the
tail is slightly forked and is without spines; length of bird, 7 inches.
Although the general habits of this species are well known, little is
known of their nesting; they are seen during the breeding season about
the higher ranges throughout their United States habitat, and are
supposed to nest in crevices on the face of cliffs at a high altitude.

[Illustration 270: 420-421.]
[Illustration: Grayish white.]
[Illustration: 422-424.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 269

423. CHIMNEY SWIFT. _Chaetura pelagica._

Range.--North America east of the Plains, breeding from central Canada,
south to the Gulf coast, and wintering south of our borders.

This well known species is sooty brownish black, 5.5 inches long, and
has the tail feathers terminating in sharp spines. They are very
abundant in all portions of their range, and may be seen on the wing at
all hours of the day, but especially abundant in the early morning and
toward dusk. They formerly dwelt and bred only in hollow trees, and a
great many still continue to do so, as large hollow stumps are known
where hundreds nest every year. The majority of the eastern Chimney
Swifts now nest in old chimneys that are unused, at least during the
summer; some small chimneys contain but a single pair while other large
ones may have from fifty to a hundred or more nests glued to the