Vv PARRIDAE 299 
red, yellow, and black ; the legs are red and olive. Young birds 
are mainly reddish-brown, with white below. Hydrophasianus 
chirurgus, of most of the Indian Region, is bronzy-brown above 
and purplish-black below, with no fleshy outgrowths, but a large, 
sharp spur. The head is white with black occiput, the neck 
golden behind and white in front, with an intervening black lateral 
stripe; the wings are mainly white, with curious filamentous 
appendages to the attenuated blackish outer primaries; the four 
median feathers of the dark brown tail are enormously elongated 
and decurved. The winter and immature plumage is almost 
Fic. 61.—Indian Jacana. Hydrophasianus chirurgus. x t. 
entirely bronzy-brown, with white under surface crossed by a 
biack gorget; but the young have a rufous head. 
All the members of this Family frequent lakes and swamps, 
whether inland or near the coast, Hydrophasianus chirurgus occur- 
ring at considerable elevations ; while at least that species, Parra 
jacana, and Metopidius indicus, are gregarious in winter. On their 
favourite lagoons, bordered by a dense fringe of aquatic plants, 
these active birds may be seen gracefully striding or running 
upon the floating leaves of water-lihes and like plants, as their 
long toes easily enable them to do. When danger threatens they 
crouch or submerge themselves partially, Hydralector being 
perhaps the best diver, where all are good. Tame when un- 
molested, they rise reluctantly, scuttling over the water with 
