302 



REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



worms, water-insects, and especially locusts, which they catch on 

 the wing. 



From the great similarity of these birds to the Swallows, many 

 naturalists have classed them in the same order. 



The Jacanas (Parr a) are characterised by a straight and middle- 

 sized bill ; legs armed with pointed spurs ; toes furnished with long 

 and sharp-pointed claws, and a back toe longer even than the front 

 ones. These birds inhabit Asia, Africa, and South America. In 

 Brazil they are called Surgeon Birds, from the resemblance the claw 



Fig. 116. — Common Jacana. 



on their back toe bears to a lancet. They frequent swamps, lagoons, 

 and marshes. They walk on the wide-spreading leaves of tropical 

 aquatic plants with perfect ease, although they swim very imperfectly ; 

 some naturalists, indeed, declare that they cannot swim at all, and 

 they are probably justified in this opinion by the appearance of the 

 bird, which seems to have few characteristics of an aquatic species. 

 Their flight is rapid, but not very high. 



The Jacanas live in pairs. They are exceedingly numerous, and 

 perfectly fearless of man. They are restless and quarrelsome in their 

 nature, frequently engaging in conflict with other birds, when they 

 make good use of their spurs. They will defend their offspring with 

 daring courage, even at the sacrifice of their lives. The male and 



