342 PAEEID^.. 



2. Parra nigra. 



Parra nigra, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 708"^; Salvad. & Festa, Boll. Mtis. ZooL Torino, xiv.no. 339, 



p. 12 (1899) \ 

 Paira hypomelcena, Gray, Gen. Birds, iii. p. 589, t. 159 ' ; Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, pp. 143 % 283 ' : 



Cass. Pr. Acad. Philad. 1860, p. 196' ; Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 218". 

 Jacana nigra, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 84 ^ : Bangs, Proc. X. Engl. Zool. Club, ii. 



p. 14'. 



P. melanopygice similis, sed iiotaeo omnino viridi-nigro ; corpore subtus quoque cum subalaribus viridi-mgris. 



Long, tota circa 8-2, alse 5-2, caudse 1*75, culm. 1-3, tarsi 2-4. (Descr. av. adult, ex Calobre, Veragua. 



Mus. nostr.) 

 Juv. as. juv. P. melanopygice similis. 



Hai. Panama, David [Bridges * ^), Calobre {Arce "^ ^), Lion Hill Station {M^Leannan ^, 

 Brown ^), Laguna de Pita [Festa -). — Colombia ^ ; Venezuela ^ ; Amazokia ^. 



This species is easily recognized by its greenish-Mack upper surface, with the 

 innermost secondaj'ies of the same colour as the back. In a few specimens a slight 

 shade of purplish-brown or chestnut can be detected on the back, but the under 

 surface of the body, including the under wing-coverts, is entirely black. 



It ranges from Upper Amazonia to Colombia, entering our region in the State of 

 Panama. Mr. A^^. S. Wood says that he noticed the species in open marshy places on 

 the Eio Atrato late in December, 1857. It was shy and watchful, and two or three 

 individuals were generally seen together on the ground, stretching out their wings, 

 and often wading in the water. 



ASARCIA. 



Asarcia, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 86 (1896). 



Asarcia differs from the foregoing genus in having no pendent lappet at the angle of 

 the mouth, and the leaf-like lappet on the forehead has a double indentation behind. 



A single species is known, which bears a great resemblance to Parra melanopygia. 

 It is found only in Central America and the Greater Antilles. 



1. Asarcia variabilis. 



Parra variabilis, Linn. Syst, Nat. i. p. 260 \ 



Asarcia variabilis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. ]Mus. xxiv. p. 86 " ; Bangs, Auk, 1901, p. 358 '. 



Parra gymnostoma, Wagler, Isis, 1831, p. 517 ^ Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 283'; 1857, p. 206'; 

 1858, p. 360'; 1859, p. 393'; Moore, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 64'; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, 

 p. 231"; Taylor, Ibis, 1860, p. 314"; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. \'. viii. p. 184 ''; Mem. Bost. 

 Soc. N. H. ii. p. 312"; Bull. U. S. Nat. ]\[us. no. 4, p. 50"; v. Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, 

 p. 375^=; Salv. Ibis, 1870, p. 116'^; P.Z. S. 1883, p. 428 '" ; Ibis, 1889, p. 379"; 1890^ 

 p. 89 " ; Finsch, Abh. naturvv. Yer. Bremen, 1870, p. 363 " ; Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 229 " ; 

 Nutting, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. v. p. 409 " ; vi. pp. 390", 396 ^^ ; Boucard, P. Z. S. I883' 

 p. 462 ''. 



