[Case 29,] 
[Case 29, | 
[Case 29, ] 
54. BIRD GALLERY. 
Family VI. Guarnonipa. PRATINCOLES. 
The members of this family are all confined to the Old World, and in 
general appearance bear little resemblance to Plovers. In their long 
wings, mode of flight, and general appearance they recall the Terns, 
while on account of their wide gape and from the fact that much of 
their time is spent in hawking insects on the wing like Swallows, they 
were actually placed with that group by Linneus. In the genus 
Glareola, which includes the Common Pratincole (G. pratincola) 
(567), the tail is deeply forked, but in the allied genus Galactochrysea 
(569-570) it is either emarginate or square. The Common Pratincole 
occasionally wanders to Britain on migration, and the Black-winged 
Pratincole (G. melanopiera) (§68) has also occurred on the coast of Kent. 
A remarkable long-legged form, Stiltia isabelia (566), has the first 
flight-feather greatly lengthened and attenuated towards the tip. 
Family Vil. Parripa. Jacanas. 
The Jacanas closely resemble some of the Rails, but are nevertheless 
more nearly allied to the Plovers. They are specially remarkable for 
the great length of the toes and claws, the latter being enormously 
elongated. Their widely spreading but extremely light feet enable these 
birds to walk with ease over the jeaves of water-lilies and other floating 
herbage. All the species have the wing armed with a spur placed at 
the bend of the wing, but in some this weapon is long and very sharp, 
while in others it is blunt and much less developed. Some, such as the 
Australian Jacana (Hydralector gallinaceus) (616) and the common 
South American species (Jacana jacana) (574), have conspicuous fleshy 
wattles round the base. of the bill. With the latter species three very 
beautiful nestlings are exhibited. The largest species is the Pheasant- 
tailed Jacana (Hydrophusianus chirurgus) (577) of India and the 
countries to the east, while the smallest form is the little African species 
(Microparra capensis) (515). 
Family VILI. Gipicnemip%. Srone-Piovers. 
The Thick-knees, known also as Stone-Curlews and Stone-Plovers, are 
allied to the Plovers, and form a connecting link between them and the 
Bustard with which they are here associated. About twelve species, 
grouped in three genera, are found throughout the temperate and tropical 
portions of the Old World and in Central and South America. The 
Common Stone-Curlew, Thick-knee, or Norfolk Plover ((dicnemus 
edicnemus) (578), ranging from South and Central Europe to N. Africa 
and India, is a summer-visitor to many parts of England and resident 
