OF ORNITHOLOGY 113 



FAMILY XLVII ARAMIDAE THE COURLANS 



Greek arasso, aratto, "a clanging, ringing, rattling noise" implied. 



A very noisy bird. 

 This curious form is at once known by its j)eculiarities. 

 Professor Baird thus describes the genus " Aramus " which 

 will do us equally well for a family diagnosis. 



" Bill elongated, much compressed, both mandibles decurved 

 at tip. Gonys very long. Bill of equal width nearly from 

 base to tip; nostrils pervious, in the basal fourth of the bill. 

 Head feathered to bill ; eyelids only naked. Legs length- 

 ened ; tibia half bare ; tarsus longer than middle toe ; toes 

 without basal membrane ; outer lateral rather longer than in- 

 ner ; middle claws not pectinated. The tarsi are broadly scu- 

 tellate anteriorly. 



The wings are broad and rounded ; the tertials equal to the 

 primaries. The first quill is scarcely longer than the tenth, 

 and sub-falcate. The tail is composed of twelve feathers." 



Size immense, length 2 feet or over. 



The affinity of this bird is curiously shown, by the fact that 

 its South American kindred have received the generic name of 

 Ardea, and both the South and the North American species 

 have been styled Rallus. (It has also been called Notherodius.) 



It is a bird of tropical America, and once seen it is not 

 easily forgotten. 



Genus, Aramus, The Courlan or Crying-Bird. 



FAMILY XLVIII PARRIDAE THE JACANA 



Probably Latin parra, " a bird of ill-omen," from its resemblance to the 



" lapwing." 

 Another curious bird, for which a family has been formed, 

 is the Jacana. This bird also is distinguishable at first sight. 

 It resembles so many different families that its true position 

 may well be a subject for further investigation. It resembles 

 the Rails very closely in many respects. It has not until re- 

 cently been classed with the North American birds. Its cu- 

 rious bill and face shield ; its wing spurs ; its long, naked legs 



