- 63 - 
The voice 
of the 
Tinamo u 
Wood Rails 
Nyctidiomus 
as I stood waiting with intense eagerness for the next call 
I more than once caught myself half dreading its repetition. 
Chapman told me that the bird is a Tinamou. He has seen 
it in the act of producing the sound. It ceased calling 
this evening before the twilight had wholly faded but I 
heard it once or twice during the night. 
Before the Tinamous had quite cea.sed, the Wood Rails 
began and at frequent intervals well into the night we 
heard their outrageous clamor from different parts of the 
forest. Two birds nearly always called at the same time, 
but in different keys and tones — one taking, as it were, 
a second. They would keep it up for several minutes without 
the slightest pause. Their notes varied somewhat but all 
were exceedingly loud and penetrating. Some of the calls 
reminded me of those of a Guinea Hen, others of a Gallinulels. 
, \ . \ . \ . 
( Crow-cn-crow—cri—crow-crx- was one form of cry. ) 
There were also several Goatsuckers ( Nyctid r omus) 
of the same species. As a rule they said chee-wee- o, slowly 
and distinctly, at intervals of eight or ten seconds but 
every now and then one would change it to" wuk , wuk , I- wnk- 
well, I- wuk-well 11 . as the Negroes interpret this variation 
of the call. The "I- wuk-well " was not unlike the " whippoor¬ 
will" of our bird, but less emphatic and hurried. 
