70 



THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



straight claws, especially on the hind-toe. Head 

 small, body plump ; wings usually short and rounded, 

 often spurred on the pinion-joint ; tail usually 

 short. 



Plumage and Colouration. — Thick and soft ; often 

 showing metallic colour ; no sexual difference, 

 and a seasonal change only in one species, which 

 is otherwise abnormal. Young, when fledged, 

 different from adult. 



Young. — Downy and active, the down streaked above. 



Nest. — A mass of rushes, etc., placed on floating 

 vegetation. 



Eggs. — Four ; somewhat pear-shaped, glossy, usually 

 marked. 



Courtship. — In the only species I have watched 

 (Hydrophasianus chirurgtis) the male simply 

 approaches the female in a stooping position. 



Food. — Insects and water snails, seeds and shoots of 

 water plants. 



Gait. — A walk ; they swim, but slowly, and can dive, 

 using the wings under water. 



Flight. — By continuous beats of the wing ; seldom 

 protracted far. Legs and neck extended. 



Note. — A mew or scream. 



Disposition and Habits. — They spend all their time 

 on floating vegetation, on which they walk and 

 stand with facility, owing to the long toes ; they 

 turn over the leaves for food. They are not very 

 active, but decidedly pugnacious, fighting with 

 bills and wings. 



Economic Qualities. — They are exceedingly orna- 

 mental, and some at least are good eating. 



Captivity. — They are not very easy to keep ; only 

 one species — the Pheasant-tailed — has reached 

 Europe alive, and none have been bred. 



Distribution and Important Species. — The J asanas, 

 of which there are less than a dozen species, occur 



