JABIRU. 2 3 



hind-head are a few greyifh feathers : the legs are ftrong, of a 

 great length, and covered with black fcales : wings and tail even 

 at the end. 



This bird is found in all the favannas of Cayenne, Guiana, and Place and 

 other parts of South America. It makes its neft in great trees, Manners. 

 which grow on the borders; lays two eggs, and brings up the 

 young in the neft till they can defcend to the earth. The food 

 is fijh. The colour of the young birds is grey ; the fecond year 

 it changes to roje-colour, and the third pure white : they are faid 

 to be very voracious, taking great quantities of fijh to fatisfy 

 them. In their nature are very wild. The flefh is good to eat, 

 but that of young birds only, as the old ones are hard and oily. 



M. Bajon is inclined to think that this bird is the American 

 Oftrich of authors * ; and indeed, on canvaffing matters, I cannot 

 with-hold my aflent to the fame opinion, for many reafons : in the 

 firft place, there is no figure of that bird extant, writers referring 

 to that of Nieremberg-\, which is clearly the Cajfowary : fecondly,. 

 the very great fimilarity of names in the birds quoted by authors,. 

 viz. Nhandhuguacu, for the Oftrich of America, by Marcgrave J ; 

 Jabiru-guacu, and 'Nhandhu-a^oa ||, for a greater Jabiru ; again,, 

 Jabiru §, for a fmaller fpecies. Thefe names feem to run much 

 into one another ; the laft is alfo, according to Barrere, called 

 Aouarcu, by the inhabitants of Guiana. This author alfo likens 



* Struthio Rhea, Lin. Syji. i. p. 266. 3. — Thouyou, Brif. Om. v. p. 8. 

 Buf. Oif. i. 452, — Nhanduguacu, or American Oftrich, Raii Sjn. p. 36.2 = 

 Will. Om. p. 150. 



f Hiji. p. 118. — See the fame fig. in Aldro<v. iii. p. 541. 



% HiJl. Bra/, p. 290. Pi/on, Hiji. Nat. N° 84. 



3 Mar eg. p. 20Q. §• Ibid. 



-the: 



