PARRID^E — THE JACANAS — PARRA. 175 



found abundant late in June. It was seen in Arizona at various seasons, but not in 

 great numbers. Its food consists principally, if not wholly, of insects, grasshoppers 

 seeming to be its main reliance, with crickets and beetles. In the fall, when food is 

 plenty, the birds are excellent eating. 



AVhen forced to fly, this Plover is said to rise rapidly with (piick wing-beats, and 

 then to proceed with alternate sailing and flapping. It generally flies low over the 

 ground, and as it alights takes a few mincing steps. 



The eggs of this species (S. I. ISlo. 2858) obtained by Dr. Suckley on the Xorth 

 Forks of the Platte, northwest of Fort Kearney, July 15, 1857, do not resemble in 

 their general appearance the eggs of the species of the genus ^glaUtis. They are a 

 rounded oval in shape, one end being but slightly more pointed than other. The 

 ground-color is a deep brownish drab, nearly uniformly marked with rounded spots 

 of varying size, of deep bistre ; these are a little more numerous, and larger about 

 the obtuse end. The eggs measure 1.40 inches in length, and 1.10 in breadth. Speci- 

 mens of eggs of this species in the Smithsonian Collection from Frenchman's Kiyer 

 (Xo. 17016) have a ground-color of a deep reddish buff, with spots of different shades 

 of brown and black, chiefly the latter. There were three eggs found in the nest, and 

 this seemed to be the complement ; they were nearly fresh. The nest was a mere 

 depression on the bare prairie, lined only with a few grass-blades. The eggs measured 

 respectively 1.50 by 1.15, 1.55 by 1.10, and 1.60 by 1.05. Mr. Stevenson describes 

 their nests as being mere depressions in the ground ; in one four eggs were found. 

 Mr. J. A. Allen saw newly hatched young, and others full grown, July 27 and 28, in 

 South Park, Colorado. 



Family PAPtPJD.^. — The Jacanas. 



Chak. Small-sized Wading-birds, combining the general appearance of Eails and 

 Plovers, but differing from both in the remarkable and excessive elongation of the 

 toes and claws, the latter nearly straight and much compressed, that of the hallux 

 much longer than its digit, and slightly recurved. 



The above brief diagnosis is sufficient to distinguish the Jacanas from all other 

 Wading-birds. Their nearest allies appear to be the Plovers, from Avhich they differ 

 chiefly in the character of the feet, as pointed out above. The single American genus 

 Parra, Lath., is further characterized by the presence of leaf-like lobes at the base 

 of the bill, and a sharp conical spur projectmg from the inside of the bend of the 

 wing, in the possession of which features they present a striking analogy to certain 

 Plovers, as the genera Lobivanellus, Strickl., and HojjlojAerus, Bokap. The genus 

 Parro, of which there are several species, all American,^ is characterized as follows : — 



Genus PARRA, Linn^us. 



FuUca, LiXN. S. K ed. 10, I. 17o8, 152 (F. spinosa = Parra jacana, L. ed. 1766"-). 



Jacana, Briss. Orn. Y. 1760, 121 (type, Parra jacana, Auct.). (Includes also Hijd aledor, Wagl., 



and Mctopodins, Waol. ) 

 Parra, Linn. S. N. I. 1766, 259 (type, P. y«cfma, L.). 



1 For a synopsis of the species of this genus, see Sclater " On the American Genus Parra" in Proc. 

 Zool. Soc. Lond. 1856, p. 282. 



2 Allowing specific names given in the 10th edition of " Systema Naturae," against which there appears 

 to be no valid objection, we can see no reason why the common South American Jacana should not be 

 called P. spinosa, L., instead of P. Jacana. 



