54 lilKI) (^XLI.tKV. 



Family \ I. Gi.akkolid.e. Pratincoles. 



[Ca&e -J'J. Tlie iucni1)ers of this family arc all coufiued to the Old VV^oild, and in 

 general ap|)earaiice bear little rcsemblauce to Plovers. In their lon;^ 

 win<;-.Sj mode of flight, and general apijcarance they recall the Terns, 

 ■Hhile on account of their wide gape and from the fact that much of 

 their time is spent hawking inscct>s on the wing like Swallows, they 

 were actually placed with that group by Liunpcus. Tu the genus 

 G/areold. which includes the Common Pratincole (CI. jjrrtt//iCol(/) 

 (567), the tail is deeply forked, l)ut in the allied genus Galactoclirt/sea 

 (569, 5701 it is cither emarginate or square. The Common Pratincole 

 occasionally wanders to Britain on migration, and the Hlack-winged 

 Pratincole {G.melanoptera) (568) has also occiirred on the coast of Kent. 

 A remarkable long-legged form, Stiltia isabelkt (566), has the first 

 flight-feather greatly lengthened and attenuated towards the tip. 



Family MI. Pakhiu.e. Jacaxas. 



[Cas-f as, 1 The Jacauas closely resemble some of the Rails, but are nevertheless 

 more uearly allied to the Plovers. They are specially remarkable for 

 the great length of the toes and claws, the latter being cnoimonsly 

 elongated. Their widely spreading but exti-cmely light feet enable these 

 birds to walk with ease over the leaves of water-lilies and other floating 

 herbage. All the species have the wing armed w ith a spur placed at 

 the bend of the wing, but in s(jmc this weapon is long and very sharp, 

 while m others it is blunt and niach less developed. Some, such as the 

 Australian Jacana (Hi/dra/ector yaUiiiactus] (576) and the ciiiunon 

 South .Vmcricau species [Jacana jacana) (574l, have conspicuous fleshy 

 wattles round the base of the bill. AVith the la.ttcr species three vciy 

 beautiful nestlings are exhibited. The largest species is the Plieasant- 

 tailed Jacana [Hydropliasianus chirurgits) (577) of India and the 

 countries to the cast, while the smallest form is the little African species 

 (Mirroparra capensix) (575). 



Family YIII. CEdicnemid-i;. Ston-l-Plovjeks. 



[Case 2!>. I Tlie Thick-knees, known also as Stone-Curlews and Stone- Plovers, arc 

 allied tu the Plovers, and form a connecting link between thcni and the 

 Bustards with which they are here associated. About twelve species, 

 grouped in three genera, arc found throughout the temperate and tropical 

 portions of the Old World and in Central and South America. The 

 Common Stor.e-Curlcw, Thick-kuce, or Norfolk Plover ((Edicnemus 

 cedioiemns) (578), ranging from South and Central Europe to N. Africa 

 and India, is a summer visitor to many parts of England and resident 



