34 THE BELL-BIRD. 



travellers whose wanderings have led them into 

 the deep recesses of the transatlantic wilderness. 

 One such wanderer has given to the world an 

 animated narrative of his singular and interesting 

 pilgrimage : and we quote from his amusing 

 work the following account of the campanero. 



" The celebrated campanero of the Spaniards, 

 is called Dara by the Indians, and Bell-bird by 

 the English. He is about the size of a jay. His 

 plumage is as white as snow. On his forehead 

 rises a spiral tube, nearly three inches long. It 

 is jet black, dotted all over with small white fea- 

 thers. It has a communication with the palate, 

 and when filled with air, looks like a spire ; when 

 empty, it becomes pendulous. His note is loud 

 and clear, like the sound of a bell, and may be 

 heard at the distance of three miles. 



" In the midst of the extensive wilds, generally 

 on the dried top of an aged mora, almost out of 

 gun-reach, you will see the campanero. No 

 sound or song from any of the winged inha- 

 bitants of the forest, not even the clearly pro- 

 nounced, "Whip -poor- Will,' 1 from the goat- 

 sucker, cause such astonishment as the toll of 

 the campanero. With many of the feathered 

 race he pays the common tribute of a morning 

 and an evening song : and even when the meri- 

 dian sun has shut in silence the mouths of 



