JACANA. 385 



with a mixture of black on the outer angle of the wing ; at the bend 

 a strong, sharp, yellow spine, a quarter of an inch long ; quills olive 

 yellow; the seven first are tipped with brown, and bordered with the 

 same for one quarter of the length ; but the outer one the whole 

 way on the outer edge; the next twelve have the ends only margined 

 with brown ; the four nearest the body purplish chestnut, nearly as 

 long as the greater quills, when closed; tail much rounded ; the two 

 middle feathers chestnut and brown mixed, tipped with black ; the 

 others the same, but no mixture of brown ; the legs greenish ash- 

 colour. In some birds the belly has a mixture of white, and one 

 had here and there a white spot on the black parts. 



Inhabits Brazil, Guiana, and Surinam, also St. Domingo; fre- 

 quenting the marshy places, sides of ponds, and streams, and wades 

 quite up to the body in the water; mostly seen in pairs, and when 

 separated, call each other continually, till they join again ; their 

 voice is sharp and shrill, and somewhat resembles laughing : are 

 very shy birds, and most common in the rainy seasons, in May and 

 November. This, as well as the other Species, is called by the 

 French, Chirurgien ; by the natives of Brazil, Jassano. The flesh is 

 accounted pretty good. 



2— VARIABLE JACANA. 



Parra variabilis, Ind. Orn. ii. 763. Lin. i. 260. Gm. Lin. i. 708. Boroxcsk. iii. t. 54. 



Gallinula armata Indica, Gerin. v. t. 483. 



Rallus digitis triuncialibus, &c. Klein, 104. 7. 



Jacana armata varia, Bris. v. 179. Id. 8vo. ii. 245. 



Jacana varie du Bresil, Buf. viii. 192. PI. enl. 846. 



L'Aguapeazo blanc en dessous, Voy. d'Azara, iv. No. 385. 



Spur-winged Water Hen, Edw. pi. 48. Bancr. Gniun. 173. 



Variable Jacana, Gen. Syn. v. 244. 



LENGTH nine inches. Bill fourteen lines long, orange .; i rides 

 yellow ; on the fore part of the head a flap of red skin, tending 



VOL. IX. D D D 



