342 CHABADEIID^ ARENAEIA 



extends through Nyasaland and East Africa as far north as Lake 

 Naivascha in British East Africa. 



Habits. Ayres states that the Smaller Jacana does not differ 

 from its larger relation in habits. He found both species inhabiting 

 the same localities near Durban, and the only peculiarity he noticed 

 was that the present species bobbed its head up and down like a 

 small flower. 



Mr. Millar tells me that this Jacana resembles the larger species 

 in its nesting habits in every way, except that it breeds later in the 

 year ; it builds a floating nest and lays three to four eggs which are 

 similarly marked, but of course a good deal smaller. Mr. Millar 

 found several clutches in the Clairmont vlei near Durban, in 

 March, 1904. 



Family V. CHARADRIID^E. 



Skull schizorhinal ; basipterygoid processes present ; nostrils 

 pervious ; cervical vertebrae fifteen in number ; hallux generally 

 present but small ; webs between the toes varying in development ; 

 eggs large, conical, and four in number, so that they lie with the 

 pointed ends towards one another. 



In subdividing this large family I have followed Mr. Blanford 

 (Fauna of Itidia, Birds, vol. iv. p. 221) grouping the numerous forms 

 into four subfamilies. 



Subfamily I. CHAKADEIIN^. 



Bill moderate, not longer than the head ; nasal groove not 

 extending more than half the length of the upper mandible ; tarsus 

 reticulated behind and often in front as well. 



Genus I. ARENARIA. 



Type. 

 Arenaria, Briss. Orn. v, p. 132 (1760) A. interpres. 



Bill moderate, rather conical and tapering ; culmen about as 

 long as the tarsus, shorter than the head ; no dertrum or swelling 

 towards the tips of the mandibles ; nostrils linear ovals in a slight 

 depression, not extending beyond the basal half of the mandibles ; 



