WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 197 



in bodies towards sunset, and fly two and two to their 

 place of rest. It is a grand sight in ornithology to see 

 thousands of aras flying over your head, low enough to let 

 you have a full view of their flaming mantle. The Indians 

 find their flesh very good, and the feathers serve for 

 ornaments in their head-dresses. They breed in the holes 

 of trees, are easily reared and tamed, and learn to speak 

 pretty distinctly. 



Another species frequents the low lands of Demerara. 

 He is nearly the size of the scarlet ara, but much inferior 

 in plumage. Blue and yellow are his predominant colours. 



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 surprise 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 woo.ds, 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 

 slumbering 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 



