PARRID^ — 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 principally, if not wholly, of insects, grasshoppers 

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

 plenty, the birds are excellent eating. 



"When forced to fly, this Plover is said to rise rapidly with quick wing-beats, and 

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

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



The eggs of this species (S. I. No. 2858) obtained by Dr. Suckley on the North 

 Forks of the I'latte, northwest of Fort Kearnej', July 15, 1857, do not resemble in 

 their general appearance the eggs of the species of the genus jEgialUlx. They are a 

 rounded oval in shape, one end lieing but slightly more pointed than other. The 

 ground-color is a deep brownish drab, nearly uniformly nuirked with rounded sj)ots 

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

 the obtuse end. The eggs measure 1.40 inches in length, and 1.10 in breadth. Speci- 

 mens of eggs of this species in the Smithsonian Collection from Frenchman's Eiver 

 (No. 17016) have a ground-color of a deep reddish buff, with spots of different shades 

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

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

 dejjression on the bare prairie, lined only with a few grass-blades. The egg.s 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 hatclu'd young, and others full grown, July 27 and 28, in 

 South Park, Colorado. 



Family PAEEID.^. — The Jacanas. 



Chae. Small-sized Wading-birds, combining the general appearance of Bails 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 tlian its digit, and slightly recurved. 



The above brief diagnosis is suiiicient 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 

 Parm, Lath., is further characterized by the presence of leaf-like lobes at the base 

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

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

 Plovers, as the genera Lohivundlus, Stkickl., and HoploiMrus. Boxap. The genus 

 Parra, of which there are several species, all American,' is characterized as follows : — 



Gexus parra, LIXX.EUS. 



Fulica, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, I. IT.iS, 152 {F. spinom = Parra jacana, L. ed. 1766 2). 



Jacaim, Briss. Orn. V. 1760, 121 (type, Parra jacana, AucT.). (Includes also Hyd alector, Wagl., 



and Mdopodius, AVagi,. ) 

 Parra, Linn. S. N. I. 1766, 259 (tyiie, P.jamna, L.). 



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

 Zool. Soc. Lond. 1856, p. 282. 



- Allowing specific names given in the 10th edition of "Systema Natura," against which there appears 

 to be no valid objection, we can see no reason why tlie common South American Jacana should not be 

 called P. spinosa, L., instead o{ P. jacana. 



