Night, to minds of this complexion, brings with it its kindred horrors, its apparitions, strange sounds, and awful sights ; and this solitary and inoffensive bird, being a frequent wanderer in these hours of ghosts and hobgoblins, is considered by the Indians as being, by habit and repute, little better than one of them. All these people, however, are not so credulous : I have conversed with Indians who treated these silly notions with contempt."

» " The Indians say, that when the leaf of the white oak, which puts forth in the spring, is of the size of the ear of a mouse, it is time to plant corn : they observe, that now the whip-poor-will has arrived, and is continually hovering over them, nailing out his Indian name ' Wekolis,^ in order to remind them of the planting limes, ' Ilfirhilinrk ." ' go to planting corn !' " -- Yamoyden ; note to stanza 27.

The anthor of the " History of Virginia" makes mention of a bird, said to contain the soul of ono of their princes, by the Indians. P. 185.

COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 465

The favorite places of resort for these birds are on high, dry situations ; it is probably on this account, that they are to be found here in such numbers. The following lines are so appropriate, that no apology can be necessary for their inserlion.

SONG OF THE WHIP-POOR-WILL.

Swiftly the hours of day-light have fled,

Dark hang the clouds o'er the sun's wavy bed ;