BEAK OF THE JAB1RU. 
327 
sidering this dewlap as an air-vessel, that it derives its name 
Jabiru, which, in the language of the Guarani Indians, in 
South America, signifies anything inflated by wind ; and they, 
like the Hurgilas, not only frequent marshes, hut rise slowly 
to immense heights, where they will remain for a considerable 
time. 
Beak of the Jahiru. 
We cannot take leave of the Heron family without putting 
our readers on their guard against a very dangerous instinctive 
faculty they seem to possess of depriving their assailants of 
eye-sight* If wounded, they will allow a dog to approach, 
and then, though apparently insensible, will in an instant, 
with unerring aim, dart at its. eye with a force, rapidity, and 
certainty, which it is almost impossible to guard against. We 
remember a gentlemen who narrowly escaped ; he had, as he 
conceived, killed a Bittern, and deposited it in a large pocket 
of his shooting-jacket ; when, fortunately, as he was walking 
on, happening to feel something insinuating itself between his 
arm and side, he, just in time to save his eye, caught sight 
of the beak of the Bittern, which had been only wounded, 
and was in the act of lancing itself, with the full elastic jerk 
of its long neck, towards his face. This faculty, however, is 
not entirely confined to either the Heron or Bittern, it extends 
itself to other species, as appears from the similar escape of a 
naval officer on the coast of Africa. “ I winged,” says he, 
“ a beautiful white Aigrette that was passing over head, and 
brought it to the ground; when, as I was in the act of 
picking it up, it struck at my eye with its beak, and had it 
not been for my glasses, must inevitably have reduced it to 
perpetual darkness.” “ I have since,” he adds, “ heard of a 
gentleman who, under similar circumstances, was not so for- 
tunate ; he still lives, and I shall feel pleasure if, by stating 
