THE J AC AN A. 



L. P. GRAY. 



One of nature's best examples of adap- 

 tation of bird life to its surroundings is 

 seen in the Jacana family. In this, as in 

 many other species, the appearance is, in a 

 measure, an index to the habits of the 

 bird. The food of the Jacana consists of 

 aquatic insects and vegetable matter which 

 it obtains by walking on the lily pads and 

 other large-leaved aquatic plants. The pe- 



tailed Jacana is found. The Mexican Ja- 

 cana (Parra gymno stoma) inhabit Cen- 

 tral America and Mexico, also just enter- 

 ing the United States on the borders of 

 Texas. The common Jacana (Jacana spin- 

 osa) is a native of Southern America. 

 This bird is well armed with that curious 

 spur or claw on the wing which naturalists 

 tell us "is developed at the radial side 



MEXICAN JACANA. 



culiar shape and size of the feet make this 

 possible. The body of the bird is rather 

 small and is supported on slender, stilt-like 

 legs with immensely elongated feet, fur- 

 nished with straight nails. The wire-like 

 toes distribute the weight on a sufficient- 

 ly large surface to support the bird on 

 thin, soft leaves. The Jacanas form a 

 small family of tropical birds which are 

 closely allied to the plover. Several species 

 inhabit tropical America. Another genus 

 is Indo-African in its distribution ; an- 

 other Malayan, while in India and the 

 countries to the East, including the Phil- 

 ippine Islands and Formosa, the pheasant- 



28 



of the first metacarpal." This is used as 

 a weapon by these birds of quarrelsome 

 disposition. In some other species the 

 spur is small and blunt, but an extraordi- 

 nary development of the wing bone com- 

 pensates for a real spur, as a severe down- 

 ward blow can be dealt by this substitute. 

 The common Jacana is a good swimmer 

 and is shy and difficult to kill. They are 

 generally seen singly, but in the morning 

 and evening feed in flocks. When flying 

 the long legs are thrown out horizontal- 

 ly, after the manner of the heron. From 

 a curious habit of stretching up the wings 

 until they meet over the back it would 



