(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.
The Jacanas journey by very easy stages, frequently alighting to rest by
the way; for they are so incapable of sustained flight that boys on the
pampas occasionally take them, pursuing them on horseback till the birds
drop down exhausted. I believe the migratory Rails travel in the same
way--a matter not easily determined, as they migrate by night; but they
are feeble-winged creatures, and when driven to rise flutter away as if
wounded. I have observed the Jacanas migrating by day, but would not
for this reason affirm that they do not journey by night, since the
Bartram's Sandpiper and other species journey both day and night.
The Jacana flies swiftly, in a straight line and close to the surface:
the wings flutter rapidly; and there are frequent intervals of gliding.
When rising it presents a most novel appearance, as the lovely pale
green of the wings is quite concealed when the bird is at rest; the
beauty of its flight is thus greatly enhanced by the sudden display of
a hue so rare and delicate. At a distance from the beholder, and in a
strong sunshine, the wings appear of a shining golden yellow. Not only
when flying does the Jacana make a display of its beautiful wings;
without rising it has a way of exhibiting them, appearing to delight as
much in them as the Cockatoo does in its crest or the Peacock in its
train. When several of these birds live in company, occasionally they
all in one moment leave their feeding, and with quick excited notes, and
clustering together in a close group, go through a singular and pretty
performance, all together holding their wings outstretched and agitated,
some with a rapid fluttering, others with a slow-moving leisurely motion
like that of a butterfly sunning itself. The performance over, the birds
peaceably scatter again. I have never observed Jacanas fighting.
Shortly after arriving they pair, and build a simple nest with few
materials, usually on the floating weeds. The eggs are four, in shape
like Snipe's eggs, and have deep-brown spots on a pale yellowish-brown
ground. During incubation the male keeps guard at some distance from
the nest, and utters a warning cry at the approach of an intruder; the
female instantly flies from the nest, but in rising renders herself very
conspicuous. When the nest is approached the parent birds hover about,
occasionally fluttering as if wounded, all the time keeping up a clamour
of hurried angry notes somewhat resembling the barking cries of the
Black-collared Stilt.
Fam. XLVII. CHARADRIIDÆ, or PLOVERS.
Plovers are found all over the world's surface and in every degree
of latitude, and some of the species have an almost cosmopolitan
distribution. In the Neotropical Region about twenty Plovers are known,
of which seven are found within our limits. Three of these are Antarctic
species that visit Argentina during the winter, one arrives in the
opposite season from the north, and the other three are more or less
abundant residents.