144 WANDERINGS IN 



shy, " he fears no danger, for he knows no sin." 

 See how the nocturnal flies are tormenting the 

 herd, and with what dexterity he springs up and 

 catches them, as fast as they alight on the belly, 

 legs, and udder of the animals. Observe how 

 quiet they stand, and how sensible they seem of 

 his good offices, for they neither strike at him, nor 

 hit him with their tail, nor tread on him, nor try 

 to drive him away as an uncivil intruder. Were 

 you to dissect him, and inspect his stomach, you 

 would find no milk there. It is full of the flies 

 which have been annoying the herd, 

 its piu- The prettily mottled plumage of the goatsucker, 

 like that of the owl, wants the lustre which is 

 observed in the feathers of the birds of day. This, 

 at once marks him as a lover of the pale moon's 

 nightly beams. There are nine species here. The 

 largest appears nearly the size of the English 

 wood owl. Its cry is so remarkable, that having 

 once heard it you will never forget it. When 

 night reigns over these immeasurable wilds, whilst 

 lying in your hammock, you will hear this goat- 

 sucker lamenting like one in deep distress. A 

 stranger would never conceive it to be the cry of 

 a bird. He would say it was the departing voice 

 of a midnight murdered victim, or the last wail- 

 ing of Niobe for her poor children, before she was 

 turned into stone. Suppose yourself in hopeless 

 sorrow, begin with a high loud note, and pro- 

 nounce, " ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," each note 



