100 BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



to extract the mollusc Ampullar'ia guianensis, called 'apple-snails' 

 [Tredale), and A. j^api/racea, IVom their shells, without tearing- 

 their soft bodies in any way. The ' Maeusis ' call it Taramiru, 

 and the ' AVarraus ' call it Doih, and the ' Arawaaks ' call it 

 Mora-coijasehre, which means the S[)irit of the Mora." 



Schomburgk also remarks (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 751) that this 

 species is very rarely found on the coast. Its favourite haunts are 

 without a doubt the Savanna-bogs, and the banks of the Savanna 

 rivers. At the first-mentioned place, they are often found in large 

 flocks. On the Savanna rivers they are somewhat shy, and it is 

 ver}^ difficult to obtain a specimen. During the breeding-season 

 it is not at all shy. When caught young it is easily tamed. Its 

 flesh is good, especially that of the young birds. 



Mr. Barrington Brown (Canoe and Camp Life, p. 105) 

 writes : — "The Great Jabiru with its long, stout, upcurved beak, 

 black bare head, and scarlet-banded neck. When wounded and 

 brought to bay, it inflates the skin of the scarlet-coloured ])ortion 

 like a great bladder. It stands fully five feet in height, and walks 

 with a slow and stately tread/^ 



Mr. J. J. Qiielch (Timehri (2) ii. p. 365) observes : — In the 

 rainy season the large AVaders, such as the Negrocop (Mi/cteria 

 americcma), are said to be plentiful in the surrounding savannah 

 of the Abary liiver, but in dry weather they are difficult to find 

 and even more so to obtain. He also met with the species at 

 Georgetown (Timehri (2) v. p. 107). 



Mr. C. A. Lloyd (Timehri (2) xi. p. 8) remarks :— •' The Silk 

 Cotton is the favourite tree of the Jabiru, Mycteria amerlcana. 

 This bird returns yearly to the same nest to breed. The Kanaku 

 mountain-range seems to be their chief breeding-quarters on the 

 Savanna." 



Mr. Beebe (Our Search for a Wilderness, pp. 353, 35-4) re- 

 marks : — "A giant white Stork came into sight, towering above 

 the Herons, wath black head and neck, and the sun reflected from 

 the distended scarlet skin of the lower neck. The bill had the 

 faintest of tilts upward, and we knew we were looking for the 

 first time at a living Jabirn, tlie biggest and perhaps the rarest 

 wading bird o^ our continent. It stands fully five feet in height, 

 and the spread of the wings is about eight feet. These birds do 

 not nest on the Guiana savanna^ but retire at the rainy season far 

 into the interior." 



