SOUTH AMERICA. 141 

 English wood owl. Its cry is so remarkable, that having Second 



Journey. 



once heard it you will never forget it. When night reigns 



over these immeasurable wilds, whilst lying in your ham- 

 mock, you will hear this Goatsucker 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 wailing 

 of Niobe for her poor children, before she was turned into 

 stone. Suppose yourself in hopeless sorrow, begin with 

 a high loud note, and pronounce, "ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, 

 ha, ha," each note lower and lower, till the last is scarcely 

 heard, pausing a moment or two betwixt every note, and 

 you will have some idea of the moaning of the largest 

 Goatsucker in Demerara. 



Four other species of the Goatsucker articulate some 

 words so distinctly, that they have received their names 

 from the sentences they utter, and absolutely bewilder 

 the stranger on his arrival in these parts. The most 

 common one sits down close by your door, and flies, and 

 alights three or four yards before you, as you walk along 

 the road, crying, ' ' Who-are-you, who-who -who-are-you. ' ' 

 Another bids you," Work-away, work -work -work -a way." 

 A third cries, mournfully, " Willy-come-go. Willy- Willy- 

 Willy-come-go." And high up in the country, a fourth tells 

 you to " Wliip-poor-Will. Whip -whip -whip -poor- Will." 



You will never persuade the negro to destroy these 

 birds, or get the Indian to let fly his arrow at them. They 



