476 GRALLATORES. 



FAMILY IV. 



Palamedeid^.* llie Screamers. 



Gen. Charac. — Bill generally long and slender, with the culmen depressed, 

 straight at the base, the apical parts vaulted, and the tip overhanging that 

 of the lower mandible, the gonys short and sometimes angulated ; the nos- 

 trils lateral, generally placed near the middle of the bill, and longitudinal ; 

 the wings long, and generally armed at the shoulder with an acute spine or 

 blunt tubercle ; the tail generally short and slightly roiinded ; the tarsi long 

 and slender; the toes very long and slender, and furnished with long and 

 straight, or short and slightly-curved claws, the hind toe long, and furnished 

 with a more or less long and acute claw. 



Widely as we have already seen tlie feathered 

 tribes distributed, there are still localities to be met 

 with as yet unfurnished with appropriate occupants. 

 The surfaces of lakes and ponds, for example, in 

 tropical countries are frequently covered over with 

 luxuriant vegetation to such a degree that they 

 might almost be said to be carpeted with verdure 

 too unstable to support the weight of birds of ordi- 

 nary construction, and at the same time too dense 

 to give passage to swimming water-fowl. To meet 

 the requirements of such situations, which from 

 their great extent are by no means unimportant, a 

 numerous family has been specially constructed, 

 able, by means of their lengthened toes, to walk 

 over the floating leaves, and to give animation 

 by their cries and their quarrels to regions which 

 without such contrivance would remain silent and 

 desolate. 



This family includes the Jacanas, or Tank-runners, 

 and the Screamers properly so called. 



* From TraXdfjiri, palame, the palm of the hand; So called from 

 their great extent of foot. 



