456 



WADING BIEDS. 



The family of Long Toes (Macrodadyles) * have their 

 toes very much lengthened, so as to be adapted for 

 walking over the floating vegetation of' marshes, or even 

 for swimming, should their possessors happen to fall 

 from their unstable footing into the water ; nevertheless, 

 their feet are not webbed. Their beak is more or less 

 compressed at the sides, and is never so slender or so 

 long as in the preceding family. The body of these 

 birds is also remarkably flattened, their wings are of 

 moderate size or short, and their flight feeble ; in all of 

 them the hind toe is very long. To this family belong 



The Jacanas {Parra), distinguishable from all other wading 

 birds by having their four toes much elongated and separate quite to 

 their roots ; the nails upon all their toes are likewise of extraordinary 

 length and very sharp, from which circumstance they have obtained 

 the common name of " Surgeons ;" a cognomen, however, which 

 they rather seem to deserve on account of the structure of their 

 wings, whicli are armed witli shnrp spines. All these birds are 

 extremely noisy and quarrelsome; they abound among the marshes 

 of tropical countries, upon the floating weeds of which they walk by 

 means of their wide-spreading toes. 



The Rails [Eallits) likewise belong to this group; some of tliem, 

 as the Common Water Eail {Ballus aquaticus) frequent our brooks 



hit.. 3^5. — LAND KAIL. 



and large ponds, where they manage to swim very well, and also to 



* uaKp6s, macros, iMig : SoktuAos, dactylos, a toe. 



