/AC ANAS. 377 



inches and a half in length. By this remarkable structure the 

 jacana is enabled to walk upon half-floating leaves, and thus 

 appears at a distance, where its support is not seen, to walk upon 

 the surface of the lake. It is precisely upon the same principle- 

 that the snow-shoes are constructed, whereby the Canadians are 

 enabled to walk with ease upon the yielding snow. 



Fig. 188.— The Jacana (■ 



The type of this sub-family is — 



The Common American Jacana {Parra Jacana), met with abun- 

 dantly throughout the warmer regions of the western hemisphere. 



" The number of these birds," says Mr. Swainson, " on the lakes of Brazil, 

 the elegance of their movements and their fearlessness of man, excite an 

 interest in the traveller who journeys through countries ornamented only by 

 nature. They are very light birds, and their long toes, spreading over a wide 

 surface, enable them to walk over the floating leaves of aquatic plants with as 

 much facility as if they were on land. In such situations their appearance is 

 really delusive, for their pressure being sufficient to sink the leaves just below 

 the surface, the birds appear actually to walk on the water." 



The Australian Jacana dives well. "Their powers of diving and re- 

 m.aining under water," says Mr. Gould, " are eciual to those of any bird I have 

 ever met with. On the other hand, their powers of flight are very weak. 

 They will, however, mount up fifteen or twenty yards, and fly from one end 

 of the lake to the other, a distance of half or three-quarters of a mile ; but 



