2274 PLOVERS, SANDPIPERS, SNIPE, JACANAS, GULLS 



The largest member of the family is the beautiful water pheasant 



(Hydrophasianus chirurgus} of India and Ceylon, which is the sole 

 Pheasant v * r 



representative of its genus, and is easily recognized by the elongation 



of the two central tail feathers, and the pied plumage. These birds, which are 

 abundant on the lakes of Kashmir, as well as those of India, usually assume their 



BRAZILIAN JACANA. 



(One-half natural size.) 



breeding plumage in May or June, and they utter a peculiar mewing, or wailing 

 sound, which can be heard for a considerable distance. The nest may be either a 

 floating structure of grass and herbage, or fixed among the growing stalks of rice 

 and in July or August receives a clutch of from four to seven bronzy-brown or 

 green eggs. 



