196 
Mr. H. Durnford on the Birds of 
119. Aramus scolopaceus (Gm.); Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 
1869, p. 161. 
Resident and common in marshes amongst reeds. It has 
a heavy laborious flight, performed by slow beats of the wings, 
which it sometimes raises so high as nearly to meet over its 
back. It has a loud harsh note, very like the crying of a 
child. On the 30th July I found a nest containing six eggs. 
It was a large structure of reeds, nearly three feet in diameter 
and ten or twelve inches deep, and was placed amongst reeds 
about a foot above the water ; it was lined with smaller reeds, 
a slight depression in the centre receiving the eggs. I saw 
the old bird standing on the edge of the nest. The eggs have 
a stone-coloured ground-colour, slightly polished and thickly 
streaked and speckled with light and dark rufous brown, the 
markings being chiefly on the larger end, but varying much 
in intensity in different examples; they measure 2'5 x 1*8. 
120. Parra jacana (Linn.); Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 1868, 
p. 145. 
I believe, very generally distributed, though I have only 
observed it twice. It is graceful in its movements on the 
ground; its extremely long feet and claws enable it to walk 
without difficulty on floating aquatic plants, where it is gene¬ 
rally found feeding on small insects, which it takes from the 
surface. It is a slow and awkward flier, its long legs, which 
it trails behind it, being a considerable hindrance. Its food 
consists of minute mollusks and aquatic insects. Iris wood- 
brown ; beak orange ; legs olivaceous. 
121. Vanellus cayennensis (Gm.); Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 
1869, p. 162. 
The ubiquitous " Tero-tero " is perhaps the best-known bird 
in the country, being extremely common and generally dis¬ 
tributed. In the winter it usually goes in flocks, and at that 
season approaches close to towns. It probably has two, and 
sometimes three, broods in the season. During the time of 
courtship the male bird performs many strange antics to at¬ 
tract the female, strutting around her with tail depressed and 
expanded and holding his head as high as possible, the female 
