314 FOREIGN BIRDS. 



The fierce Cotopaxi;* or some rocky chasm — 

 Some frightful Quebradaf that nature in spasm 

 And wild agony bore,) ere the morning's first beam ; 

 His hum startled forest and mountain and stream. 



whip, whip, whip, poor will ;" and another, a large bird, the size 

 of the English wood-owl, *' Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," which 

 sounds are uttered like a person in deep distress — the departing 

 voice of a night-murdered victim. Suppose yourself in hopeless 

 sorrow, beginning the above sequence of sounds with a loud 

 note, each succeeding one being lower and lower till the last is 

 scarcely heard, and pausing a moment between every note, 

 will convey, according to Waterton, an idea of this bird's 

 noise. The plaintive cries of all these are uttered throughout 

 the night. 



As Waterton has not mentioned the specific names, these 

 birds cannot be identified ; but we learn from Dr. Latham's 

 work, that two species of goat-suckers have obtained the name 

 of Whip-poor-will. The Vociferus, however, seems to be that to 

 which the name is most properly applied. 



The Vociferus, Whip-poor-will, or Whip-poor-will Goat' 

 sucker, is nine and a half inches long ; gape very large ; mouth 



* A notable Volcano of the Andes, of which, it is said, there 

 are tiear\y forty scattered over that mountainous chain. 



f The Quebradus of the Andes are immense chasms by which 

 many of the mountains are separated from each other ; some of 

 these chasms are nearly a mile deep, and their sides almost per- 

 pendicular ; they are, nevertheless, frequently adorned with 

 trees, shrubs, and flowers. Natural, as well as artificial 

 bridges, are occasionally seen over these deep and yawning 

 lacerations ; sometimes, too, a torrent rolls down their winding 

 jaws, adding, of course, to the sublimity of the scene : nor does 

 the occasional presence of the Condor detract from the astound- 

 ing picture. 



