[ Fam. XLVI. PARRIDÆ, or JACANAS.]
The Jacanas are a tropical group of birds with a somewhat general resemblance to the Rails, but with their toes enormously elongated, so as to enable them to move with facility over water-plants on the surface of lakes and ponds. In essential structure, however, they are now ascertained to be most nearly allied to the Plovers.
One genus of Jacanas (Parra) is peculiar to America, and a single species of this genus occurs in the Argentine Republic.
[385.] PARRA JACANA (Linn.).
(COMMON JACANA.)
Parra jacana, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 506 (Tucuman); Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 142; iid. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 145 (Buenos Ayres); Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 196 (Buenos Ayres); White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 627 (Buenos Ayres); Barrows, Auk, 1864, p. 277 (Entrerios).
Description.—Head and neck purplish black; back and wings bright chestnut; primaries and secondaries pale greenish yellow tipped with brown; flanks dark chestnut; breast dark black; abdomen purplish; tail chestnut tipped with black; wattles on head and base of bill red, rest of bill yellow; feet olive: whole length 10·5 inches, wing 5·8, tail 2·2. Female similar.
Hab. South America from Venezuela down to Buenos Ayres.
The beautiful Jacana or Jassana, sometimes called Alas-amarillas in the vernacular, differs very widely from all the other members of the Limicoline Order in its appearance, which is most singular—the toes being enormously long, the head ornamented with red lobes, and the wings armed with spurs, these and the beak being of a bright yellow. The colouring of the plumage heightens the novelty of its appearance; the head, neck, and underparts being black; the shoulders, back, and wing-coverts chestnut; while the quills, which have a bright satiny lustre, are apple-green in colour, and in some lights appear golden yellow.
In the southern part of the Plata district the Jacana is migratory, arriving from the north in Buenos Ayres early in October, either singly or in small parties. In their migration they appear to follow the course of the Plata; and, though some individuals are found breeding inland, they are for the most part confined to the littoral marshes.