156 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 



Along the creeks and river sides, and in the wet 

 savannas, six species of the Bittern will engage 

 your attention. They are all handsome. The 

 smallest not so large as the English water-hen. 



In the savannas, too, you will sometimes sur- 

 prise the snow-white Egrette, whose back is 

 adorned with the plumes from which it takes its 

 name. Here too the spur-winged Water-hen, the 

 blue and green Water-hen, and two other species 

 of ordinary plumage, are found. While in quest 

 of these, the Blue Heron, the large and small 

 Brown Heron, the Boat-bill, and Muscovy Duck, 

 now and then rise up before you. 



When the sun has sunk in the western woods, 

 no longer agitated by the breeze; when you can 

 only see a straggler or two of the feathered tribe 

 hastening to join its mate, already at its roosting- 

 place, then it is that the Goatsucker comes out of 

 the forest, where it has sat all day long in slum- 

 bering ease, unmindful of the gay and busy scenes 

 around it. Its eyes are too delicately formed to 

 bear the light, and thus it is forced to shun the 

 flaming face of day, and wait in patience till night 

 invites him to partake of the pleasures her dusky 

 presence brings. 



The harmless, unoffending goatsucker, from the 

 time of Aristotle down to the present day, has 

 been in disgrace with man. Father has handed 

 down to son, and author to author that this noc- 

 turnal thief subsists by milking the flocks. Poor 

 injured little bird of night, how sadly hast thou 

 suffered, and how foul a stain has inattention to 

 facts put upon thy character! Thou hast never 



