PARRIDJE: JAQANAS. 669 



16. Suborder RALLIFORMES: Ralliform Birds. 

 Represented in North America by the three leading groups of Eallidoe — the Rails, Galli- 

 nules, and Coots. (For position of ParridcB, see below.) 



49. Family PARRID^: Ja9an^s. 



A small family of small wading-birds, of 3 genera and fewer than 12 species, combining 

 characters of Plovers and Rails, outwardly distinguished from either by the excessive develop- 

 ment of tlie toes and especially of the claws. These are slender, compressed, acute, nearly or 

 quite straight; that of the hind toe much exceeding its digit in length. The spread of feet thus 

 acquired enables the birds to run with ease over the floating vegetation of the marshes they 

 inhabit. The American genus is Parra (fig. 363) ; the Old World genera are Metopodius, 

 Hydmlector, and Hydrophasianus. The systematic position of the liiraily has been much 

 questioned. On nearly all counts, it would appear to be Limicoline, not Alectoridine, and 

 should be removed to the other order, next to Charadriidce. The bill of Parra is quite plover- 

 like; the spur on the wing and skin-flaps about the bill are like those oi Moplopterus and 

 Lohivanellus (Plovers). With this understanding, I leave the family where I find it. 

 PAR'RA. (Lat. parra, name of some bird.) JA9ANAS. Bill plover-like, contracted in 

 continuity, enlarged terminally; with culmen depressed to end of nasal groove, then convex 

 and decurved; outline of mandibular rami about straight to the gonys, wliich is ascending; 

 commissure about straight to the decurved end. Nasal grooves along the contracted portion 

 of the bill ; nostrils small, elliptical, situate in advance of the base of the bill. Angle of mouth 

 with a leaf-like lobe of skin (radimentary in our species). Forehead with a large leaf-like 

 lobe of skin, with free lateral and posterior edges, adherent centrally and anteriorly where 

 reaching base of upper mandible. A sharp homy spur on bend of wing. Primaries 10, not 

 peculiar in structure; outer 3 about equal and longest, overlaid by the inner quills in the 

 closed wing. Tail very short, with soft rectrices concealed by the coverts. Tibiae bare below, 

 and with the tarsus scuteUate before and behind, the scutella tending to become confluent in a 

 continuous sheath. All the toes, claws included, longer than tarsus; middle toe alone nearly 

 as long as tarsus; outer toe alone about as long as middle, its claw shorter than that of middle 

 toe ; inner toe a little shorter than outer, its claw longer ; hind toe only about as long as basal 

 joint of middle toe, but its claw much longer than itself; aU the claws slender, about straight, 

 very acute. 



P. gymno'stoma. (Gr. yi/^i/dy, (7?«>mos, naked : ord/xa, stoma, mouth. Fig. 53<er.) Mexican 

 JA9ANA. Adult : General plumage rich purplish-chestnut, brightest on wings and tail, darkest 

 on back, breast, and sides, fading on lower beUy. Quills pale yellowish-green, with dusky 

 edging in increasing extent from the secondaries to the outennost primary ; alula and primary 

 coverts blackish. BiU, frontal leaf, and wing-spur yellow ; base of upper mandible whitish, 

 and space between it and the frontal leaf carmine ; feet greenish ; iris brown. Young : Grayish- 

 brown above, streaked with brownish-yeUow ; below, bufly-whitish, darker across breast, the 

 sides and lining of wings dusky ; a light superciliary and dusky postocular stripe ; wing-quills 

 greenish -yellow as in adult ; tail-feathers like upper parts. Frontal leaf rudimentary. 

 Wing about 5.00 ; bill 1.25 ; tarsus, and middle toe without claw, 2.00. West Indies, Mexico, 

 to Texas on the Lower Rio Grande. 



50. Family RALLID.^: Rails, etc. 



This is a large and impoi-tant family, abundantly represented in most parts of the world. 

 They are birds of medium and small size, generally with compressed body and large strong 

 legs (the muscularity of the thighs is very noticeable), enabling them to run rapidly and thread 



