388 JACANA. 



6.— FAITHFUL JACANA. 



Parra Chavaria, lnd. Om. ii. 764. Lin. i. 260. Gm. Lin. i. 709. BorowskAW. 99. 3. 

 Chauna, Chavaria, Tern. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. xcvii. 

 Faithful Jacana, Gen. Syn. v. 246. 9. 



SIZE of a Dunghill Cock, and stands a foot and a half from the 

 ground. The bill conic, a little bent, and dirty white ; the upper 

 mandible as in the Cock ; nostrils oblong, pervious ; on both sides, 

 at the base of the bill, is a red membrane, which extends to the 

 temples; in the middle of this the eyes are placed ; irides brown; on 

 the hindhead are about twelve blackish feathers, three inches long, 

 and these form a sort of crest, which inclines downwards ; the rest 

 of the neck, which is three inches long, covered with thick black 

 down, but under the bill and temples pure white ; body brown ; the 

 wings and tail blackish, clouded with grey, the last short; on the 

 bend of the wing two or three spurs, half an inch long; the belly 

 dusky; thighs half way bare of feathers; joints thick, and swelling; 

 legs very long, strong, yellowish red ; toes so long as to entangle 

 one in the other when walking. 



Inhabits the lakes, &c. on the River Cinu, and adjoining rivers, 

 about thirty leagues distant from Carthagena, in South America, and 

 is said to feed on vegetables ; its gait is solemn and slow, but it flies 

 easily, and swiftly ; it is unable to run, unless assisted by the wings 

 at the same time : when any part of the skin is touched by the hand 

 a crackling is felt, though it appears very full of down beneath the 

 feathers, and indeed this down adheres so closely, as to enable the 

 bird at times to swim. The voice is clear and loud, but far from 

 agreeable. The natives, who keep poultry in great numbers, have 

 one of these tame, which goes with the flock about the neighbourhood 

 to feed during the day; when this faithful shepherd defends them 

 against birds of prey ; being able, by means of the spurs on the 

 wings, to drive off even the Carrion Vulture. It is so far of the 



