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Arenaria infcerpres (L), Turnsfcono. 

 Haematopus osculans. Swin., Oyster 

 Catcher. 



Family, Glareolidae, the Pratincoles. 



Pratincoles are small shore birds 

 with very long pointed wings and long, 

 deeply forked tails. They have four 

 toes, the outer and the middle ones 

 being united by a short web, while the 

 middle toe has a distinct comb-like 

 claw. Their deeply forked tails and 

 rapid flight suggests the Swallows, and 

 like them they often take their food on 

 the wing. 



There are about 20 species in the 

 family of which China has only one. 



It is Glareola maldivarum Fors., 

 Eastern Pratincole. This bird is a rare 

 winter visitant in the Yangtse Valley. 



Family, Jacanldae, the Jacanas or Water 

 Pheasants. 



The Jacanas are a small, well marked 

 group of marsh frequenting birds. The 

 name Jacana (pronounced " Hasana ") 

 is of Brazilian origin. In spite of their 

 Eail-like appearance and habits they 

 are now conceded to be most closely 

 related to the Plovers. 



The most marked characteristic is 

 their enormously long toes and claws 

 which enable them to walk with ease 

 over the water lillies and other aquatic 

 plants of the ponds and marshes. 



They have a rather short neck, 

 small head and moderately long bill. 



The point of the wing is armed with 

 an unusually long spur. 



Jacanas are widely distributed, rang- 

 ing through the whole tropical and 

 sub-tropical region. Their habits are 

 everywhere very similar. They frequent 



