JACANID.E: J ASANAS. 765 



thologists' wits wool-gathering. Linnaeus referred the common Glareole to the genus Hit-undo, and Sundevall put these 

 birds with the Caprimulgidue. But in all their organization they agree with the Coursers, and might even go into the 

 family CursoriidiF. They are handsome birds, swift of foot and dashing on the wing, taking part of their prey in flight, 

 like Swallows or Night-hawks. The best known species is Glnreula pralhtcola of Europe, etc., with which G. melanop- 

 tera and G. orientalis agree closely. Five or six others, with less forked tails, form the genus Galacrhysia ; one, Stil- 

 iia isabella, is the long-legged Glareole of Australia, etc. 



The Coursers and the Thick-Knees have each been set apart as a type of a family. The Cursoriida of Sharpe, how- 

 ever, as composed of the genera Dromas, Ortyielus, Pluvinnns, Cursorius, and Rhinoptilus, with Glareola, Galachrysia, 

 and Stillia, appears to me to be an indefensible combination of at least five families of two different orders of birds, and 

 should be broken up. But when we have referred Ortyxehis to anotlier order, eliminated Dromas as type of Dromadida, 

 and Glareola with its associate genera as forming the GUireolidw, there is nothing left of the group but three genera 

 which may readily be referred to the Ch(iradriid(e. There is probably more to be said in favor of making (Edicnemus 

 type of a separate family ; yet it may perhaps be best treated as the Plover which it seems to be. Though it has 

 some undeniable relationships with the Bustards, I think that these have been overestimated as to their taxonomic 

 sig^ficance. 



All the families of Limicolcs not noted above occur in North America, and most of the North American Limicolce 

 belong to one or the other of the two largest families — C/iaradriida- and Scolopacidae. 



Family JACANID^ (PARRID^): Jacanas. 



A small family of mostly small wailing-binls, of 6 or 7 gonora and fewer than 12 species, 

 combining charucter.s of Plovers and Rails, outwardly distinguished from either by excessive 

 development of toes and especially of claws. These are slender, compressed, acute, nearly or 

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

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

 habit, and on which the nest is placed, after the fashion of Rails. The eggs are heavily 

 colored (except in two genera, in which they are glossy olive, unmarked). The systematic 

 position of the family has been much questioned. On nearly all counts, it would appear to be 

 Liinicoline, not Palitdicoline, and should be placed next to Charadriidce . The bill of Jacana 

 is quite plover-like ; the spur on the wing and skin-Haps about the bill are like those of Hop- 

 lopteriis and Lobivanellus (Plovers). With this understanding, I left the family where I found it, 

 among the Ralliformes, in earlier editions of the Key ; but now make the required transjiosition 

 to Limicolce, upon the following anatomical characters : Skull schizorhinal and schizognathous, 

 with basipterygoid processes and no lateral occipital fontanelles : dorsal vertebrte opisthocce- 

 lous ; spinal pteryla bifid ; phalangeal bones of the feet enormously lengthened. The family 

 has usually been called Parridcc, but it should heJacanida : for Parra was not used till 1766, 

 (after Jacana Buiss. 1760), and the process of elimination to which its Linnaean species have 

 been subjected makes it only tenable as the name of that genus of Plovers wliicli Strickland 

 named Lohivanellns in 1841 (see Auk, Oct. 1885, p. 337). The Jncanidrc inhaldt the warmer 

 parts of both hemispheres. The most remarkable genus is the Asiatic HijdiopJutsifnins, with 

 very long tail-fcatliers. like a Pheasant's, and no frontal lappets. The Indian ]\Ict02)idii(S has 

 a singularity of the bones of the winj;. The Australian Hydralector is another notable fonn. 

 The African genera are PhijUopczus and Microparra (ov Aphalus Elliot, Auk, 1888, p. 301). 

 For the American genus, see next article ; for the views of the most recent monographers of 

 the family, see Elliot, Auk, July. 1888, pp. 288-30."), and Siiaupf, Cat. H. Hrit. Mns. xxiv, 

 18!)6, pp. 68-89. 



JACA'NA. (Brazilian jrtfrtMrt, name of a bird of this genus.) JacanAs. Bill plover-like, 

 contracted in continuity, enlarged terminally ; with culmen depressed to end of na.sal groove, 

 then cnnvex and decurved ; outline of mandibular rami about straight to gonys, which is 

 a.scending; commissure about straight to decurved end. Nasal grooves ali>ng contracted por- 

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

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

 skin, with free lateral and posterior edges, adherent centrally .ml anicrii.rly where reaching 



