26€ 
PARRA. JACANA. 
Generic Characier. 
Rostrum mediocre, rectum, 
iateratim compressum, ad 
apicera tumidiusculum, 
acutum, basi carunculatum 
vel glabrum, 
Nares subovata; in medio 
rostri sitee. 
Alee calcaratae. 
Pedes tetradactyli, fissi; di- 
gitis et unguibus rectis, 
longissimis. 
Beak medial, straight, la- 
terally compressed, some- 
what swollen towards the 
tip, acute, its base carun- 
culated or bald. 
Nostrils nearly oval, placed 
in the middle of the beak. 
Wings armed with spurs. 
Legs four-toed, cleft, with 
the toes and claws straight 
and very long. 
PARRA. Linn., Gmel., Lath., Cuv., Vieil., &c. 
JACANA. Briss. 
GALLINULA. Ray. 
1 HIS genus is distinguished from the rest of the 
Waders by the extraordinary length of the toes and 
claws, which in some of the species are so extremely 
long, as to incommode the individuals when walking. 
The chief use of this singular conformation appears 
to be that of enabling the birds to procure their 
sustenance (which consists of worms, small fishes, 
and aquatic insects) in the marshes, as their length 
allows them to walk upon the surface of the plants 
