IRASILIAN SPUR-WINGED WATER-HEN» 
foe which it combats." This analogy," pro- 
ceeds BufFon, " to the Armed Lapwings, 
which are quarrelsome and noisy birds, and 
have a similar form of bill, seems to have in- 
duced some naturalists to ciass them together. 
See the Supplement of the Encyclopedie, ar- 
ticle Aguapeca, by Adanson. They differ, 
however, in the shape of their body, and of 
their head: and, so far, they resemble the 
Water-Hen ; from which, notwithstanding, 
they are distinguished by the peculiar con- 
formation of their feet. The Jacanas may, 
therefore, be reckoned a separate genus, ap- 
propriated to the New Continent. Their 
abode, and their stru6lure, sufficiently shew, 
that they live and feed after the manner of 
the other shore birds: and, though Fernandez 
says, that they frequent only the salt-basons, 
near the sea-mark ; it appears, from the 
above quotation, that they occur in the inte- 
rior parts of the country, on the verge of 
fresh waters." 
In the above article, BufFon has displayed 
considerable ingenuity; and it is not early 
perceived. 
