264 ON THE PAINTED SNIPE AND PHEASANT-TAILED JA^ANA. [Apr. 15, 



boundaries strictly and attacking strangers. In fighting, they 

 seize with the beak and strike with both wings at once. The spur 

 with which the carpal joint is armed is only represented by a 

 small, movable, pointed tubercle in winter, and is evidently a 

 seasonal growth like the horns of the deer. They swim gracefully, 

 but slowly. Of many birds turned on the pond, only two were 

 seen to dive in trying to get away when first let out. They swam 

 only with their wings, which are remarkably powerful, very 

 unlike those of the Rails. The feet are very weak in grasping- 

 power, the hallux especially only flexing at the basal joint ; in the 

 Rails the last joint flexes strongly. 



There is a good deal of variation in this species. I have seen 

 one or two specimens with particularly stout strong bills, fine old 

 females; some, irrespectively of age or sex^ are glossed with 

 purple on the brown upper surface at all times — all show the 

 gloss when wetted. The eyes are usually brown in adults and 

 yellow in the young ; but I have seen two quite young birds with 

 the dark iris, and many old ones, in adult winter plumage, 

 retaining the yellow eye. Birds showing the iris in a state of 

 change are curiously rare. 



In watching the market for years, I never saw an adult retaining 

 its summer plumage in winter ; but one of my males on the pond, 

 which has "stuck in the moult," to use a bird-fancier's expression, 

 has never thorovighly changed into winter dress. From obser- 

 vation of another of these males, I believe the quills are cast 

 at once. 



This bird does not appear to fear Kites, nor do these ofier to 

 attack it, even when sickly ; perhaps they fear its strong and 

 armed wings. It is a bold species, caring little for other birds, 

 and not timid with man after a few days' immunity on a pond ; 

 in a cage it is not so easily reconciled, and is apt to hm't its wings 

 at the carpal point, much as Doves will frequently do when first 

 caged. Almost the only food I have seen taken by the birds at 

 liberty is small water-snails about the size of peas ; in captivity 

 they will take to paddy at once, and also eat canary-seed and 

 maggots. The grain should always be soaked for them, and their 

 legs frequently wetted when they are confined in a cage. They 

 never seem to feel the heat in the open, remaining in the hot sun 

 all day long without panting. 



The males are certainly better protected than the females, the 

 greater height of which exposes their white breasts when on the 

 low kalmi weed ; but no doubt in more hish vegetation the hens 

 also would share in the protection which the coloration affords to 

 this most interesting bird. 



