# File lib/sqs/sqs_interface.rb, line 244
    def receive_message(queue_url, max_number_of_messages=1, visibility_timeout=nil)
      return [] if max_number_of_messages == 0
      req_hash = generate_post_request('ReceiveMessage', 'MaxNumberOfMessages' => max_number_of_messages, 'VisibilityTimeout' => visibility_timeout,
                                       :queue_url                              => queue_url)
      request_info(req_hash, SqsReceiveMessageParser.new(:logger => @logger))
    rescue
      on_exception
    end