Diagnoses of Families and Genera 579 



Family Jacanidae. The Jacanas. A family containing about a dozen 

 species of small wading birds, that in form and habits are in many 

 ways intermediate between the rails and the shore-birds. Their 

 range is tropical, and their toes and claws are greatly lengthened to 

 enable them to run on the broad leaves of the water-plants growing 

 in the lakes and marshes of their habitat. 



Of this family only one genus Jacana and one species occurs 

 in North America. 



Family Type. Size small. Bill ploverlike, but longer and more pointed ; 

 the culmen depressed to end of nasal groove, then arched to tip. 

 Nostrils small and elliptical. Nasal groove not extending beyond 

 middle of maxilla. Neck medium. Wings with a spur at metacarpal 

 joint. Legs long and slender. Tarsus longer than bill. Toes very 

 long, with extremely long claws, that of hind toe longer than the toe 

 itself. 



Generic Type. Jacana. Head with a frontal lappet, leaflike, and 

 divided posteriorly. Primaries of normal shape. Spur on wing well 

 developed and sharp. Tail short, central feathers not longer than 

 the rest. 



