326 BULLETIN 14 6^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



orange," centrally browner, with a black " crow-foot " on the occiput, 

 and with a black line from the eye to the hind neck, which is dusky 

 black; the central area of the back and rump is "burnt sienna," 

 bordered on each side by a band of " ochraceous buff," below which 

 is an indistinct dusky band ; the thighs and the inner joints of the 

 wings are " burnt sienna " ; the outer joint of the wing is white ; the 

 tail and sides of the rump are jet black; and the tibia are dusky 

 black. The bright colors become duller as the chick grows older. 



In fresh juvenal plumage the crown and occiput are " warm 

 sepia," the feathers faintly tipped with " cinnamon " ; the back and 

 sides of the neck are brownish black; the back, scapulars and wing 

 coverts are from " sepia " to " Saccardo's umber," the feathers 

 broadly tipped with " tawny " and with a subterminal dusky bar ; a 

 . black stripe extends from the eye to the back side of the neck and a 

 broad stripe of " cream buii " from the lores, over the eyes to the 

 nape; the sides of the head, chin, throat, and underparts are white, 

 suffused with " cream buff " on the breast. A partial postjuvenal 

 body molt takes place during the fall, or else the edgings entirely 

 wear away leaving only the plain colors of the upper parts, the juve- 

 nal wing coverts and some of the scapulars. In late winter or early 

 spring, from January to April, a nearlj^, if not quite, complete 

 prenuptial molt takes place, which produces a plumage which is prac- 

 tically adult, including the frontal shield. I have no data on the 

 molts of adults. In this plumage the female is decidedly larger, is 

 somewhat more brightly colored and has a larger frontal shield. 



Food. — Mr. Gillin says in his notes : 



The food of the jacanas must consist of minute insect life that they are 

 able to find on this floating vegetation as they are very active and seem to 

 spend practically all their time feeding, which would lead to the conclusion 

 that their food is secured in very small morsels or else they require a great 

 amount of food. 



Behavior. — P. L. Jouy says in a letter : 



When standing in reeds or sedge they frequently stretch the neck up 

 straight on the lookout. They also have a curious habit of extending the 

 wings and raising them up over the back until they meet. This, I suppose, is 

 a kind of signal, the green of the primaries being conspicuous for a long dis- 

 tance when in this position. On wounding one of these birds I found that it 

 was a very fair swimmer, and when I overtook it, it dived, to my astonishment, 

 with as much confidence as a grebe, and I never saw it again. 



Mr. Gillin writes : 



On three different occasions 1 had wounded birds submerge themselves about 

 a foot below the surface of the water for several minutes before I could locate 

 them and secure them by hand. They clutched whatever was avaibible with 

 their feet and from above looked just as comfortable under water as a quail 

 or grouse would be crouching in the leaves of a briar patch. 



