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slow streams and marshes, feeding on 

 seeds and tender bits of vegetation, as 

 well as crustaceans and insects. 



The family is made up of about a 

 dozen species, of which only one is 

 found in China, 



PHEASANT-TAILED JACANA. 



hydrophasianus chirurgus 

 (scop). 



Description. — Length of male 24 

 inches ; female 18 inches. In summer, 

 the bill is bluish. Legs and feet lead- 

 gray. Iris brown. 



In summer plumage, the head and 

 throat are white. Neck yellow. Wings 

 white, washed with yellow. The 

 remainder of body chocolate brown, 

 dull below, bright above, with metallic 

 reflections. In flight, the wings appear 

 white with black tips. The tail which 

 is black, is ten inches long and 

 graduated. There is a spur at the 

 bend of the wing. 



In autumn it is much modified, the 

 sharp contrasts being lessened and a 

 more sober light brown taking their 

 places. The long tail feathers are also 

 dropped. Both sexes are alike. 



Distribution. — Malaysia, Philippines, 

 South and Central China. 



It is a summer visitant in the 

 Yangtse Valley. 



Nest and Eggs. — The nest is a large, 

 roughly constructed mass of rushes, 

 weeds, or stems of aquatic plants. 

 Sometimes it is built to float freely 

 upon the surface of the water or at 

 other times placed among the thickly 

 growing reeds. The eggs, four in a 

 clutch, 'are flat-ended, peg-topped in 

 shape and range in color from yellowish 

 olive to greenish bronze. When fresh 



