. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. rUE GOATSCCKEES. milking the flocks. Poor injiived little liird of night, how a stain has inattention to facts put iil)on thy chaiiicter ! Thou hast never robbed man of any part of his property, nor deprived the kid of a drop of milk. " When the moon shines bright you may have a fair opportunity of examining the Goatsucker. You will .see it close by the Cows, Goats, and Sheep, jumping up every now and then under theii- bellies. Approach a little nearer—he is not shy: ' he fears no danger, for he knows no sin.' See how the nocturnal fl
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. rUE GOATSCCKEES. milking the flocks. Poor injiived little liird of night, how a stain has inattention to facts put iil)on thy chaiiicter ! Thou hast never robbed man of any part of his property, nor deprived the kid of a drop of milk. " When the moon shines bright you may have a fair opportunity of examining the Goatsucker. You will .see it close by the Cows, Goats, and Sheep, jumping up every now and then under theii- bellies. Approach a little nearer—he is not 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 tliey alight on the bellies, legs, and udders of the animals. Observe how quiet they stand, and how sensible they seem of his good offices, for they neither strike at him nor liit him with their tails, 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. " The pretty 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 (Demerara); 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 wiliK whilst lying in your hammock, you will hear this Goatsucker lamenting liki one in deep disti'ess. A stranger wouM never conceive it to be the cry of .1 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 hope- less soiTow, begin with a high loud note, and pronounce * Ha, ha, ha, ha, la, ha, ha !' each note lower and lowe
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecta, booksubjectanimals
