144 BULLETIN 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



found them in marshes at the Etang Saumatre March 2, 1927. At 

 the fitang Miragoane on April 1, 1927, Wetmore found the jacana 

 common and collected an adult female. He saw several young in im- 

 mature dress. He did not meet the species elsewhere but while in 

 Haiti did not visit other points suited to it. Danforth found it at the 

 fitang Miragoane and near Gonai'ves in the summer of 1927. Bond 

 also found it at the Etang Miragoane, and saw a few at Fort Liberte, 

 where two were taken by Poole and Perrygo February 14, and others 

 seen February 16, 1929. 



The jacana inhabits wet meadows, or pools and lagoons covered 

 with mats of floating vegetation over which it walks with ease by 

 grace of its long toes with their greatly elongated claws, which be- 

 cause of their wide spread in relation to the slight weight of the 

 body give ready support on an apparently unstable surface. The 

 legs are very long. 



Measurements of birds from Hispaniola follow : 



Eight males, wing 120.7-125.4 (123.2), tail 40.3-49.2 (42.8), culmen 

 from base 29.3-31.9 (31.1), tarsus 49.4-54.4 (52.5) mm. 



Two females, wing 137.3-142.7, tail 47.0-49.5, culmen from base 

 34.1, 49 tarsus 51.1-58.5 (57.8) mm. 



The front of the head is ornamented by a lappet with the posterior 

 margin divided into three narrow lobes. In the adult the plumage of 

 the anterior portion of the body is black, while elsewhere the feathers 

 are purplish brown except for the wing quills which are light yel- 

 lowish green. The bend of the wing bears a sharp thornlike spine 

 from which the bird receives its Haitian name of medecin. The im- 

 mature is pure white below with a white line through the eye. The 

 light green of the wings, displayed in flight or often by raising the 

 wings above the back when the bird is on the marsh, is a prominent 

 field mark. The body is about as large as that of a Wilson's snipe. 



Superfamily CHARADRIIDES 

 Family HAEMATOPODIDAE 



HAEMATOPUS PALLIATUS PRATTII Maynard 



BAHAMAN OYSTER-CATCHER, PRATT'S OYSTER-CATCHER, C0RAC0LER0, 



OSTRERO 



Haemotopus prattii Maynakd, Appendix to Cat. Birds West ladies, Nov. 29, 

 1899, p. 34 (Flemming's Key, Bahama Islands). 60 



Baematopus palliatus, Coby, Birds Haiti and San Domingo, Dec, 1884, p. 145 

 (reported) ; Cat. West Indian Birds, 1892, p. 95 (Haiti, Dominican Republic). — 

 Ttppenhaueb, Die Insel Haiti, 1S92, p. 322 (listed). 



40 One specimen. 



50 This appendix was published in advance of the work itself, and was reprinted with 

 the appearance of the list proper. In this reprint the generic name of the present bird 

 is corrected to Eaematopus. 



