Order  VII.  GRALLiE. 
The  fourth  Family, 
PALAMEDEID.E,  or  Screamers, 
have  the  Bill  generally  long  and  slender,  with  the  culmen  rather  depressed,  straight  at  the  base,  the 
apical  part  vaulted,  and  the  tip  overhanging  that  of  the  lower  mandible ;  the  gonys  short  and  sometimes 
angulated  ;  the  nostrils  lateral,  generally  placed  near  the  middle  of  the  bill,  and  longitudinal ;  the  Wings 
long,  and  generally  armed  at  the  shoulder  with  an  acute  spine  or  blunt  tubercle  ;  the  Tail  generally 
short  and  slightly  rounded  ;  the  Tarsi  long  and  slender ;  the  Toes  very  long,  slender,  and  furnished 
with  long  and  straight,  or  short  and  slightly  curved,  claws ;  the  hind  toe  long,  furnished  with  a  more  or 
less  long,  and  acute  claw. 
The  fifth  Subfamily, 
PARRIN/E,  or  Jacanas, 
have  the  Bill  lengthened,  slender,  with  the  culmen  straight  at  the  base,  and  vaulted  at  the  tip,  which  is 
entire  ;  the  nasal  groove  long  and  narrow,  and  the  opening  of  the  nostrils  placed  in  the  middle  of  the 
bill,  small  and  oval ;  the  Wings  more  or  less  long  and  pointed  ;  the  Tail  generally  short ;  the  Tarsi 
long  and  slender ;  the  Toes  very  long,  slender,  and  armed  with  long  slender  claws,  especially  the  hind 
toe. 
Parra  Linn.* 
Bill  as  long  as  the  head,  straight  and  slender,  with  thet  culmen  straight  from  the  base,  and  slightly 
vaulted  and  curved  to  the  tip,  which  is  entire  ;  the  sides  compressed ;  the  lateral  margins  straight,  and 
the  gonys  short,  ascending,  and  angulated  ;  the  nostrils  small,  oval,  medial,  and  placed  in  a  lengthened 
groove.  Wings  long,  with  the  first  quill  rather  shorter  than  the  second,  the  third  the  longest.  Tail 
very  short,  and  partly  concealed  by  the  coverts.  Tarsi  as  long  as  the  middle  toe  without  claw,  rather 
slender,  and  covered  by  transverse  scales.  Toes  very  long  and  slender,  the  outer  rather  longer  than  the 
inner  toe  ;  the  hind  toe  long ;  the  claws  long,  especially  that  of  the  hind  toe,  which  is  extremely  acute. 
The  base  of  bill,  and  more  or  less  of  the  head,  denuded,  and  furnished  with  caruncles. 
These  singular-footed  birds  are  found  in  the  wanner  parts  of  Asia,  Africa,  and  America.  They  frequent  the  marshes, 
sides  of  rivers,  and  ponds,  generally  in  pairs  or  small  flocks ;  and  their  shy  and  timorous  habits  induce  them,  when 
*  Established  by  Linnaeus  in  Ijo'O'.  Brisson  had  in  1700  employed  Jacanu  for  this  series  of  birds.  It  embraces  Uydrafrctor  and 
Metopidius  of  Wagler  (1832). 
