Guacharo

Guacharo (Steatornis caripensis), a nocturnal fruit-eating South American bird, allied to the Goatsucker (q.v.). The total length is about 21 inches, plumage reddish-brown, deeper above, and marked with white spots, some of which are surmounted by a black line. These birds were discovered by Humboldt in 1799 in the cavern of Caripe, where they congregate in vast numbers. The young are slaughtered for their fat, which, when clarified, is used as butter, and will keep good for a long period.