yrTT" r ■■' 



PARRIDiE — THE JACANAS — PARRA. 



175 



found abundant late in June. It was seen in Arizona at various seasons, but not in 

 great numbers. Its food consists princiitally. if not Avliolly, of insects, grasshoppers 

 seeming to be its main reliance, witli crickets and beetles. In the fall, when food is 

 plenty, the birds are excellent eating. 



AVhen forced to fiy, this I'lover is said to rise rapidly with quick wing-beats, and 

 then to proceed with alternate sailing and flapping. It generally flies low over the 

 Lfrounil, and as it alights takes a few mincing steps. 



The eggs of this species (S. I. No. 'JH~)S) obtained by Dr. Suckley on the North 

 Forks of the Platte, nortliwest of Fort Ivearney, ihily 15, 1857, do not resend)le in 

 their general appearance the eggs of tlie si)ecies of the genus yEijinHfis. They are a 

 rounded oval in shape, one end being but slightly more pointed tluin other. The 

 ground-color is a deep biownish drab, nearly uniformly marked witli rounded spots 

 of varying size, of deep bistre ; these are a little more numerous, and larger about 

 the obtuse end. The eggs measure 1.4U inches in length, and 1.10 in breadth. Sjjeci- 

 mens of eggs of tins species in tlie Smithsonian Collection from Frencliman's lUver 

 (No. 17016) have a ground-color of a dee[) reddish buff, Avith spots of different shades 

 of brown and black, cliiefly tlie latter. There were three eggs found in the nest, and 

 this seemed to be the com] dement; they were nearly fresh. The nest was a mere 

 depression on tlie bare prairie, lined only with a few grass-blades. The eggs measured 

 respectively 1.50 by 1.15, 1.55 by 1.10, and 1.60 by 1,05. Mr. Stevenson describes 

 their nests as being mere depressions in the ground ; in one four eggs were found. 

 Mr, J. A. Allen saw newly hatched young, and others full grown, July 'J7 and 28, in 

 South Park, Colorado. 



4 



Family PAPiPJD-^. — The Jacanas. 



Char. Small-sized Wading-birds, combining the general appearance of Rails and 

 Plovers, but differing from both in the remarkable and excessive elongation of the 

 toes and claws, the latter nearly straight and much compressed, that of the hallux 

 much longer than its digit, and slightly recurved. 



The above brief diagnosis is sufficient to distinguish the Jacanas from all other 

 Wading-birds. Their nearest allies appear to be the Plovers, from which they differ 

 chiefly in the character of the feet, as pointed out above. The single American genus 

 I'dt'm, Lath., is further characterized by the presence of leaf-like lobes vt the base 

 of tlie bill, and a sharp conical spur projecting from the inside of the bend of tlie 

 wing, in the possession of which features they present a striking analogy to certain 

 Plovers, as the genera LobivanellHs, Stkickl., and Hoijlojderus, Bonap. The genus 

 Parm, of which there are several species, all American,^ is characterized as follows : — 



Genus PARRA, Linn.t^us. 



FiiUca, Linn. S. N. cd. 10, I. n.lS, 152 (F. xpinosn = I'arra jaenna, \.. ed. 1766 2). 



Jaccmii, Bkiss. Orn. V. 1760, 121 (typi', Parmjacaitu, Aucr.). (Iiicluiles also Hi/d alector, Wagl., 



awd. Melopodius, Waot,.) 

 Parra, Linn. S. N. \. 1766, 259 (type, P.jaaina, L.). 



1 For a synopsis of the species of this genus, see Sclater " On tlie American Genus Parra," in Proc. 

 Zool. Soc. Lond, 1856, j). 282. 



* Allowing si)ecitic names given in the 10th edition of "Systema Naturoe," against wliich tliere appearj 

 to be no valid olijcction, we eiin see no reason why the common South American Jacaiia sliould not be 

 called P. spinosa, L., instead of P. jacana. 



