in North-eastern Brazil. 359 



111. Parra jacana. 



The " Jacana " (the c is soft^ and the final a strongly ac- 

 cented) is a very common and conspicuous bird in the low 

 country near the sea^ and may be seen on nearly every large 

 weed-covered pool of any extent. Near Recife it might be 

 seen in numbers on some large ponds on the Beberibe road, 

 about a mile outside the town ; and at Parahyba it was equally 

 abundant close to that place. I did not see it further inland 

 than Catende. In its actions the Ja(jana strongly resembles 

 a Waterhen. It is not apparently shy, but usually keeps well 

 out of reach on the weeds in the middle of the pond. When 

 flying, the canary-yellow-coloured primaries are very con- 

 spicuous, and, with the light colour of the soft parts, greatly 

 show of£ the chestnut and black plumage of the bird. Near 

 Recife I saw three or four of the young birds in down, of a 

 mottled black and white colour, walking about with their 

 parents on the weeds. 



112. Gallinago frenata ? 



A Snipe is not uncommon at some time of the year in the 

 more marshy districts of Pernambuco, and affords some sport 

 to the English and other residents in Recife. I saw the bird 

 once or twice at Cabo, and between Quipapa and Macuca got 

 from a Brazilian friend a nest of two eggs, on which the hen 

 bird was sitting. Unfortunately ray friend omitted to shoot 

 the bird ; but I believe there is no doubt that it belongs to 

 the present species. 



The Brazilian name is " Agaxadera.^"* 



113. Crypturus tataupa. 



The " Nambu,^-" as the present species of Tinamou is called, 

 is not at all an uncommon bird in the neighbourhood of Ma- 

 cuca and Garauhuns, where I several times heard its cry, and 

 once or twice flushed it. Its flight, however, though strong, 

 is short, the bird soon settling again ; and the country is so 

 thickly covered with brushwood and undergrowth that it is, 

 in consequence, no easy matter to shoot these birds, at least 

 without the aid of dogs. Sometimes they are stalked and 

 shot by the Brazilian sportsmen; but more usually they 



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