PARRID.E. 103 



Dr. Burmcister first met with this bird at La Invernada between Tucu- 

 man and Catamarca *, but tells us that it inhabits besides these two 

 provinces the adjoining districts of La Rioja and Santiago del Estero. 

 It is always easier to hear it than to see it, for its loud screaming voice 

 may be recognized at a distance, but when approached in the bush it 

 keeps a discreet silence. 



Several examples of Burmeister's Cariama have been received alive 

 in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, from one of which 

 an excellent figure has been taken by Mr. Smit (see P. Z. S. 1870, 

 plate xxxvi.). The frontispiece of the present volume is a reduction of 

 that figure by the same artist. 



Order XV. LIMICOL^l, 



Fam. XLVI. PARRID.E, OR JACANAS. 



The Jacanas are a tropical group of birds with a somewhat general 

 resemblance to the Rails, but with their toes enormously elongated, so 

 as to enable them to move with facility over water-plants on the surface 

 of lakes and ponds. In essential structure, however, they are now 

 ascertained to be most nearly allied to the Plovers. 



One genus of Jacanas (Parr a) is peculiar to America, and a single 

 species of this genus occurs in the Argentine Republic. 



385. PARRA JACANA (Linn.). 

 (COMMON JACANA.) 



Paxra jacana, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 506 (Tucuman); Scl. et Salv. 

 Nomencl. p. 142 ; iid. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 145 (Buenos Ayres) ; Ihtrnford, 

 Ibis, 1877, p. 196 (Buenos Ayres) ; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 627 (Buenos 

 Ayres) ; Barrows, Auk, 1884, p. 277 (Entrerios). 



Description. Head and neck purplish black ; back and wings bright chest- 

 nut ; primaries and secondaries pale greenish yellow tipped with brown ; flanks 

 dark chestnut ; breast dark black ; abdomen purplish ; tail chestnut tipped with 

 black ; wattles on head and base of bill red, rest of bill yellow ; feet olive ; 

 whole length 10*5 inches, wing 5'8, tail 2'2. Female similar. 



Hab. South America from Venezuela down to Buenos Ayres. 



The beautiful Jacana or Jassana, sometimes called Alas-amarillas in 

 the vernacular, differs very widely from all the other members of the 

 Limicoline Order in its appearance, which is most singular the toes 



* See Burmeister, * Reise duch die La Plata-Staaten,' ii. p. 195. 



M2 



