PARRIDAE 



299 



red, yellow, and black ; the legs are red and olive. Young birds 

 are mainly reddish-brown, with white below. Hydropliasianus 

 chirurgus, of most of the Indian Eegion, is bronzy-brown above 

 and purplish-black below, with no fleshy outgrowths, but a large, 

 sharp spur. The head is white with black occiput, the neck 

 golden behind and white in front, with an intervening black lateral 

 stripe ; the wings are mainly white, with curious filamentous 

 appendages to the attenuated blackish outer primaries ; the four 

 median feathers of the dark brown tail are enormously elongated 

 and decurved. The winter and immature plumage is almost 



FIG. 61. Indian Jacana. Hydrophasianus chirurgus. x J. 



entirely bronzy-brown, with white under surface crossed by a 

 black gorget ; but the young have a rufous head. 



All the members of this Family frequent lakes and swamps, 

 whether inland or near the coast, Hydrophasianus chirurgus occur- 

 ring at considerable elevations ; while at least that species, Parra 

 jacana, and Metopidius indicus, are gregarious in winter. On their 

 favourite lagoons, bordered by a dense fringe of aquatic plants, 

 these active birds may be seen gracefully striding or running 

 upon the floating leaves of water-lilies and like plants, as their 

 long toes easily enable them to do. When danger threatens they 

 crouch or submerge themselves partially, Hydralector being 

 perhaps the best diver, where all are good. Tame when un- 

 molested, they rise reluctantly, scuttling over the water with 



