330 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



381. Parra capensis, Smith. Lesser African Jacana. 



Parra capensis, Smith's Zool. of S. Africa, pi. 32. 



Andersson, in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 7. 



Layard's Cat. No. 627. 



This Jacana is common in the Lake-regions and on 

 the Okavango, where it breeds; but it is very rare in 

 Damara Land, and, I believe, is never seen in Great 

 Namaqua Land. 



[f The Ibis ' for 1864 contains at p. 360 the following note on 

 this species by Mr. Thomas Ayres, who met with it in Natal : 



"Iris light hazel; bill bright brown; tarsi and feet light 

 greenish brown. The male is precisely similar in size and 

 plumage to the female. I found numbers of these beautiful 

 Jacanas on Sea-cow Lake. In habits they much resemble the 

 larger kind, running with ease on the weeds which appear on 

 the surface; they are rather shy. If, in searching for food, 

 they happen to approach a large Jacana (Parra africana), 

 they are immediately chased away; and as both kinds are 

 plentiful in that locality, and feed all day long, there is constant 

 squabbling amongst them. There is one habit they have which 

 I have not noticed in the other Jacanas, viz. the dipping the 

 head up and down, like some of the smaller Plovers." ED.] 



