478 



GKALLATOKES. 



and claws enables them to run with great facility 

 over plants that float on the surface of the lakes 

 and marshes in broad patches. Their food con- 

 sists of aquatic insects and the buds and seeds of 

 vegetables. The female makes her nest among 

 reeds ; her eggs are four in number. 



An African species, whose body is not larger than 

 that of our common Snipe, has such enormous feet 

 that its fore toes measure no less than three inches 

 and a quarter, and its hind one two inches and a half 

 in length. By this remarkable structure the Jacana 

 is enabled to walk upon half-floating leaves, and 

 thus appears at a distance, where its support is not 

 seen, to walk upon the surface of the lake. It is 

 precisely upon the same principle that the snow- 

 shoes are constructed, whereby the Canadians are 

 enabled to walk with ease upon the yielding snow. 



The type of this sub-family is — 



The Common American Jacana {Parra Jacana), met 

 with abundantly throughout the warmer regious of the 

 Western hemisphere. 



