166 The Naturalist in Nicaragua 
movements of that bird. They are generally seen about 
cattle, sometimes picking the garrapatos off them, but more 
often one on each side, watching for the grasshoppers and 
other insects that are frightened up as the cattle feed. On 
this morning there were several of them on the top of a shed. 
Every now and then one would ruffle out its feathers, open 
its wings a little, give a step or two forward towards another, 
stretch out its neck, open its bill, and then give rather a long 
squeak-like whistle. As soon as it had done this, it would 
hurriedly close its feathers and wings, and hold its head 
straight up, with its bill pointing to the sky. All its move- 
ments were grotesque; and its sudden change in appearance 
after delivering its cry was ludicrous. It appeared as if it 
was ashamed of what it had done, and was trying to look 
as if it had not done it—just as I have seen a schoolboy throw 
a snowball, and then stand rigidly looking another way. 
After a few moments, the “sanate ” would lower its head, 
and, in a short time, go through the same performance again, 
repeating every movement automatically. 
Bidding adieu to our host, we rode over grassy savannahs, 
with much cattle feeding on them, and in about five miles 
reached a small village called Muy-muy, which means “ very- 
very.” I think it is a corruption of an old Indian word 
“Muyo,” met with in other Indian names of towns, as, for 
instance, in Muyogalpa. After riding all round the plaza, 
which formed three-fourths of the town, we at last found 
a house where they consented to make us some tortillas, on 
condition that we would buy some native cheese also. The 
land around was fertile, but the people too lazy to cultivate 
it. Many of the houses were dilapidated huts. The place 
altogether had a most depressing aspect of poverty and 
idleness. JI asked one man what the people worked at. He 
said, “‘ Nada, nada, senor,” that is, “‘ Nothing, nothing, sir.” 
Some of them possess cattle; and those that have none 
sometimes help those that have, and get enough to keep 
them alive. The principal subject of interest seemed to be 
the “‘ caritos,’ who had come up the river and given them 
guns and iron pots for their black dogs; but no one had had 
the curiosity to ask what they wanted the dogs for. It was 
Sunday, and many of the country people from around had 
come into the village. All that had any money were at the 
