We also killed a large bull-bat or goatsucker, of which there are many in this neighborhood, resembling in every respect those of the same species in the United States.

We have not seen the leather-winged bat for some time, nor are there any of the small goatsucker in this part of the Missouri.

We have not seen that species of goatsucker called the whippoorwill, which is commonly confounded in the United States with the large goatsucker which we observe here.
This last prepares no nest, but lays its eggs on the open plains; they generally begin to sit on two eggs, and we believe raise only one brood in a season; at the present moment they are just hatching their young." Dr.Coues says that we should bear in mind that this was written "when bats were birds and whales were fishes for most persons." The journal confounds bats, which are winged mammals, with goatsuckers, or whippoorwills, which are birds.
The second of July was an interesting date for the explorers.

On that day we find the following entry in their journal:-- "A shower of rain fell very early this morning.

We then despatched some men for the baggage left behind yesterday, and the rest were engaged in putting the boat together.