JACANAS 



(288) Jacana spinosa 



(Linn.) (A Brazilian name; Lat,, spiny, 

 referring to tlie spur on the wing). 



MEXICAN JACANA. Wing with 

 a sharp horny spur on the shoulder. 

 A large leaf-like plate, free at the 

 edges, extends from the base of the 

 bill on the forehead. Legs long 

 and slender; toes very long and the 

 nails, especially of the hind toe, 

 straight and extremely long. Ads. 

 — Plumage as shown. Young birds 

 are grayish-brown abo\'e and more or 

 less buffy-white below; the wings 

 are similar to those of the adults. 

 L., S.50; W., S-oo; Tar., 2.00; mid- 

 dle toe 2.00; B., 1.25. Nest — Of 

 weeds on floating piles of trash or 

 lily pads; three to five olive eggs, 

 scrawled with black, 1.20X.95. 



Range — Rio Grande Valley and 

 southern Fla. southward. 



oysters), and for digging up fiddler crabs, of which they are 

 very fond. They travel in small flocks and are very wary. 

 Their flight is swift and unusually conspicuous because of 

 the glistening black and white plumage. Our species 

 apparently is never seen away from tidewater. They can 

 swim well, but rarely do so unless wounded; they do, however, 

 often wade in water up to their bodies hunting for shrimps 

 or detaching limpets from rocks. When flying or on the 

 beach, they often utter shrill cries or whistles. 



Family JACANID^. Jacanas 



MEXICAN JACANAS, which reach our borders in 

 southern Texas and the extreme point of Florida, may easily 

 be regarded as the most peculiar of all our waders. They are 

 quite pugnacious, as might be presumed from the appear- 

 ance of a spur on the bend of the wings. The males fight 

 among themselves, chiefly during the mating season, but of 

 course are not nearly as warlike as the European Ruff, a 



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