330 BIRDS OF DAMABA LAND. 



381. Parra capensis, Smith. Lesser African Jacana. 



Pavra capensis, Smith's Zool. of S. Africa, pi. 32. 



„ „ Andersson, in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 7. 



„ „ Layard's Cat. No. 627. 



This Jacana is common in the Lake-regions and on 

 the Okavango, where it breeds ; but it is very rare in 

 Damara Land, and, I believe, is never seen in Great 

 Namaqua Land. 



[' The Ibis ' for 1864 contains at p. 360 the following note on 

 this species by Mr. Thomas Ayres, who met with it in Natal : — 



"Iris light hazel; bill bright brown; tarsi and feet light 

 greenish brown. The male is precisely similar in size and 

 plumage to the female. I found numbers of these beautiful 

 Jacanas on Sea-cow Lake. In habits they much resemble the 

 larger kind, running with ease on the weeds which appear on 

 the surface; they are rather shy. If, in searching for food, 

 they happen to approach a large Jacana [Parra africana), 

 they are immediately chased away; and as both kinds are 

 plentiful in that locality, and feed all day long, there is constant 

 squabbling amongst them. There is one habit they have which 

 I have not noticed in the other Jacanas, viz. the dipping the 

 head up and down, like some of the smaller Plovers." — Ed.] 



