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of command, and they ever afterwards among ourselves went by the 

 name of his recruits. Before they rise on the wing they prepare for 

 their flight by taking two or three hops, by which they are the better 

 enabled to get on the wing. Their flight is light and graceful; and 

 before they alight, or when rising, they first wheel round the place in 

 gyral motions, either lessening or extending the circles according as it 

 is their intention to do the former or the latter. They soar uncom- 

 monly high, and might vie with the eagle. Indeed they appear some- 

 times as a mere speck in the air. It is a beautiful sight to see a 

 numerous flock on the wing; all appears confusion when they are first 

 disturbed and rise in the air : they cross each other in the flight, and 

 one would think from below they could not avoid coming in contact ; 

 but scarcely have they reached a height of 80 or 100 feet, when order 

 is restored, and they begin flying in circles, rising with each circle 

 higher and higher. When on a more extensive journey, they fly in a 

 horizontal line, and change the leader like the cranes. When feeding 

 on the savannahs, a party is always on the alert while the others seek 

 for their food. 



The Macusis call them Tararamu, the Brazilians Juju, the Arawaks 

 Mora-Coyasehaa, which signifies spirit of the Mora tree {Mora excelsa, 

 Benth.), the Warraus Doih. 



In my former remarks I gave some account of the manners and ha- 

 bits of the Jabiru (Mycteria Americana), and alluded to two young ones 

 which I received while in Georgetown. They were brought to me from 

 the Pomeroon, and when keeping their neck erect they were about five 

 feet high. Their plumage was still gray, and they might have been 

 about a year old. They were so tame that I allowed them to run about 

 the yard, to which, however, they did not restrict their perambulations, 

 and they extended their walks frequently to the street. As they were 

 a great curiosity, they had frequent visitors ; or when in the street, a 

 crowd collected generally around them, until annoyed by too great fa- 

 miliarity, they would begin to clack the under chap against the upper, 

 and partly spreading their wings, those unacquainted with the bird fan- 

 cied these to be the first preparations for a formidable attack ; and the 

 little knot of by-standers which had formed round opened their ranks 

 without further contention, and allowed them to return leisurely to the 

 yard. 



I shall never forget the effect which the sight of them produced upon 

 a woman of colour, who no doubt had never seen a Jabiru before. The 

 woman with a tray on her head was walking down the street, when 



