. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . y the red and prominent bony protuberances at the top of thefrontal plate ; and the Blue Coot, which is described as an inhabitantof Portugal. The Pratincole {Glareolaprafmeola, Fig. 115) has the bill shortand curved, the tarsi long and slender, the middle toe joined to theouter by a small membrane, the wings long and pointed, the tailforked. They live in flocks on the banks of the Danube, the Volga,and on the shores of the Black and Caspian Seas. They feed on
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . y the red and prominent bony protuberances at the top of thefrontal plate ; and the Blue Coot, which is described as an inhabitantof Portugal. The Pratincole {Glareolaprafmeola, Fig. 115) has the bill shortand curved, the tarsi long and slender, the middle toe joined to theouter by a small membrane, the wings long and pointed, the tailforked. They live in flocks on the banks of the Danube, the Volga,and on the shores of the Black and Caspian Seas. They feed on 302 REPTILES AND BIRDS. worms, water-insects, and especially locusts, which they catch onthe wing. From the great similarity of these birds to the Swallows, manynaturalists have classed them in the same order. The Jacanas {Parra) are characterised by a straight and middle-sized bill; legs armed with pointed spurs; toes furnished with longand sharp-pointed claws, and a back toe longer even than the frontones. These birds inhabit Asia, Africa, and South America. InBrazil they are called Surgeon Birds, from the resemblance the claw. Fig. ii6.—Common Jacana. on their back toe bears to a lancet. They frequent swamps, lagoons,and marshes. They waik on the wide-spreading leaves of tropicalaquatic plants with perfect ease, although they swim very imperfectly ;some naturalists, indeed, declare that they cannot swim at all, andthey are probably justified in this opinion by the appearance of thebird, which seems to have few characteristics of an aquatic flight is rapid, but not very high. The Jacanas live in pairs. They are exceedingly numerous, andperfectly fearless of man. They are restless and quarrelsome in theirnature, frequently engaging in conflict with other birds, when theymake good use of their spurs. They will defend their offspring withdaring courage, even at the sacrifice of their lives. The male and THE yAC AN AS. 303 the female evince the tenderest mutual at
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectrep
