M. Sundevall on the Birds of Calcutta, 165 



Junior, ? , d. 20 Febr. (an adulta ?). Gula et corpus subtus alba ; 

 latera colli vitta longitudinal! pallide flavescenti, ad alas extensa. 

 Caput supra ferrugineum, lateribus cum gula et macula brevi supra 

 oculos albis. Collum postice nigrum, antice pallide rufescens. Dor- 

 sum et alse paullo dilutiora quam in adulta. Dorsum postice ferru- 

 gineo-fuscescens, paullo seneo-nitens. Rectrices rufescentes, extus 

 albidae, linea intramarginali (concentrica) nigra. Alae subtus pure 

 nigrse. Iris et pedes ut adultse. Rostrum sordide flavescens, vix uUo 

 rudimento membranae frontalis. Long. 10 poll. Ala 168 millim., 

 tarsus 69, digitus medius Q^, cum ungue 88 ; poUex 30, cum ungue 

 75, rostrum e fronte 34. 



The genus Parra, which belongs to the torrid zone of both 

 continents, is especially marked by its long toes, provided with 

 quite straight, almost disproportionately long claws, so that the 

 expanse of the foot is longer than the closed wing. They con- 

 sequently tread upon a very large surface, and are enabled to run 

 on the very softest mud, or occasionally on the surface of the 

 water, which is covered with the leaves of aquatic plants. P. in- 

 dica is not rare around Calcutta, and is often seen to run across 

 water-tanks where Nymphcea lotos grows. Sometimes this bird 

 is heard to utter a short whining cry almost like pja-o ! In 

 March many were seen together, running round each other j they 

 could not be pursued in a flock, but each flew by itself when 

 alarmed. Nothing was found in the stomach but a kind of roots 

 or bulbs of some common water-plant. The same substance was 

 found in the stomachs of all the herbivorous water-birds, but I 

 omitted to ascertain whence it was procured. 



83. Parra luzoniensis, Sonn., Lath, (certe a P. sinensi distincta). 



Supra grisea ; alis spinosis, subtus albis, remigibus arcuatis ; an- 

 ticis apice appendiculatis. Caudae apice elongato, acuto, adscen- 

 denti. 



Indiv. sexus incerti (veris Junius) d. 23 Martii. Corpus superne 

 fusco-griseum, parum violaceo-nitens ; subtus et lateribus, jugulum 

 et major pars alae pure alba. Frons albo varia. Vitta e rostro su- 

 pra oculos alba, dein in colli latera deflexa, flava, ad alas extensa. 

 Vitta alia nigra, per oculos in collum descendens, priorem limitans, 

 ante pectus cum pari conjuncta, jugulum cingens. Ala alba, extus 

 plaga magna colorata e tectricibus griseis, fusco-undatis. Remiges 

 cubitales omnes immaculatse albee ; primarise falcatse, acutse : 1 et 2 

 nigrse ; 3 basi late alba ; sequentes albae, apice nigro marginatae ; 

 1* — 3^ appendice lanceolato, e rhachide elongata, primo nuda, dein 

 brevius plumata. Rectrices albae ; 2 mediae fuscae ; angustatae, acutae, 

 laxae, apice paullo sursum curvato ; mediae longae : 2 poll, ultra alas. 

 Rostrum fuscum, limite frontali transverse absque lobo. Pedes ni- 

 gricantes. Spina carpi valida, acuta. Long. 12| poll. Ala 210 

 millim., tarsus 55, digitus medius 55, cum ungue 73 ; poUex 22, cum 

 ungue 49 ; rostrum e fronte 27, cauda 105. 



