Order CEAEADmiFOEMES 
No. 212. 
Family JACANIDM, 
IREDIPARRA GALLINACEA ROTHSCHILDI. 
WESTERN COMB-CRESTED JACANA. 
(Plate 169.)* 
Irbdiparra GALLINACEA ROTHSCHILDI Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 224, 1912 ; 
North-west Australia. 
Parra galliTiacm (not Temminck) Gould, Birds Austr., Vol. VI., pi. 75, 1843 (Port 
Essington) ; id., Handb. Birds Austr., Vol. II., p. 330, 1865 ; Masters, Proc. Linn. 
Soc. N.S.W., Vol. II., p. 275, 1878. 
Hydralector gallinaceus Le Souef, Emu, Vol. II., p. 157, 1903 (N.T.) ; Hartert, Nov. Zool., 
Vol. XII., p. 202, 1905 (N.T.) ; Mathews, Emu, Vol. IX., p. 56, 1909 (N.-W. A.). 
Irediparra gallinacea rotjhscliildi Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 224, 1912 ; id., 
Austral Av. Rec., Vol. I., p. 55, 1912 ; id.. List Birds Austr., p. 73, 1913. 
Irediparra gallinacea melvillensis id., ib., Vol. I., p. 73, 1912 (Melville Island, Northern 
Territory). 
Distribution. North-west Australia ; Northern Territory. 
Adult male. Differs from I . g. novce-hollandice in being darker above. Total length 
197 mm. ; culmen and comb 42, wing 116, tail 36, tarsus 56. 
Adult female. Similar to the adult male but larger. Total length 244 mm. ; culmen 
and comb 49, wing 138, tail 44, tarsus 70. 
Nestling and Immature. Very similar to those in the same state of plumage from 
Queensland. 
Nest. The eggs are placed on the floating roots of a water-lily, with some rotting 
vegetation (old leaves, etc.). There is no trace of a nest. The patch of roots 
measures 10 in. across. The eggs are only half an inch above the water-line and 
their lower sides are often quite wet. 
Eggs. Clutch, four ; ground-colour brownish-buff, marked aU over with lines of 
blackish-brown ; axis 31 mm., diameter 21. 
Breeding-season. January (Melville Island) ; September and January (Northern 
Territory, Le Souef). 
Mr. J. P. Rogers, writing from Melville Island, Northern Territory, on 
January, 1912, says : Many pairs of these birds were seen in Jessie Creek, 
where it runs through the great swamp ; this creek is bordered with a belt 
of water-lilies in places fiifteen yards wide. The lilies are of the blue and white 
“The Plate is lettered Irediparra novoe-hoUandice. 
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