GUALLAT0111.E. 395 



the bases of their toes, not even between the external ones. 

 The beak, more or less compressed on the sides, is lengthened 

 or shortened according to the genus, never, however, becom- 

 ing as slender or as weak as that of the preceding family. 

 The body of these birds is also singularly compressed, a cir- 

 cumstance which is owing to the narrowness of the sternum ; 

 their wings are moderate or short, and their fligiit feeble. 

 They all have a long thumb. 



They have been divided into two tribes according to the 

 armature or non-armature of their wings , but this character is 

 liable to exceptions. 



Jacanas, Briss. Parra, Lin.(l) 



The Jacanas are greatly distinguished from the other Grallatori^e 

 by having four very long toes, separated down to their root, the 

 nails of which, that of the thumb in particular, are also extremely 

 long and pointed, from which peculiarity, they have received their 

 vulgar name of Surgeons. The beak is similar to that of the Lap- 

 wings in its moderate length, and in the slight inflation of its end. 

 Their wing is armed with a spur. They are noisy and quarrelsome 

 birds, which inhabit marshes of hot climates, where they walk with 

 great facility by means of their long toes. 



America produces some species in which the base of the bill is 

 covered by a flat, naked membrane, which extends to part of the 

 forehead. 



P.jacmia, L. Enl. 322. (The Common Jac^na.) Black, with 

 a red mantle; the primary wing-quills green; fleshy wattles under 

 the beak; very sharp-pointed spurs. It is the most common 

 species in all the hot climates of America.(2) 

 Some of the same description are also found in Asia, 



(1) Jacana, ov Juhana, is proper]}', in Brazil, tlie name of the Gallinulx. The 

 Surgeons are there called Jlquapuazos, because they walk over the aquatic plants 

 called .^ywrz/JC (Azzar.). It is possibly throusjh an error of transcription that one 

 of them in Marcg-rave is named Aguuptccaca. 



Parra is the Latin name of some unknown bird. 



(2) The /. varle [P. vanabilis), Enl. 816, is only the common species at an early 

 age. The P. brasiliensis and the P. rugru exist only on the somewhat equivocal 

 authority of Marcgrave. The P. vlridis, which also rests on the description of 

 IVlAFC^rkve, appears to me, from the description itself, to be a Porpl)yrio. The P. 

 africaha, Lath, scarcely difl'ers. As for the P. chuvaria, see the foHoWiig'articIe 

 on the Palamedea;. ' 



