Descriptive List of the Common Birds 
a conspicuous white eyebrow and a yellow 
band down each side of the neck. Wings 
black and white. Lower parts white with a 
black gorget across the breast. Tail feathers 
white, except the two median ones, which are 
brown. 
Breeding plumage: A long black pheasant- 
like tail is assumed, and the other parts are 
black, save the head, throat, and wings, which 
are white, and the back of the neck, which is 
golden yellow. This Jacana looks in breeding 
plumage (i.e. in the summer) rather like a 
silver pheasant, and, indeed, Europeans call it 
the water-pheasant. It is a beautiful creature 
in its summer splendour. Finn says that it is 
to his mind “ the most beautiful of all our 
smaller aquatic birds, and hardly equalled in 
this respect by any bird whatever.” 
Its peculiar wailing cry has been likened to 
the mew of a kitten. 
The Lapwings, 183 and 184 
183. Sarcogrammus indicus: The Red-wat- 
tled Lapwing. (F. 1431), J. 855), (+IV.) 
This is the familiar “ Did-you-do-it.” 
Head, neck, and upper breast black. There 
201 
