. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. Birds; Reptiles. JAOANAS. 329 middle-sized bill; legs armed witli pointed spurs; toes furnished witli long and sharp-pointed claws, and a back toe longer eyen than the front ones. These birds inhabit Asia, Africa, and South America. In Brazil they are called " Surgeon-birds," from the resemblance the claw on their back toe bears to a lancet. They frequent swamps, lagoons, and the margins of pools. They walk on the wide-spreading leaves of tropical aquat
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. Birds; Reptiles. JAOANAS. 329 middle-sized bill; legs armed witli pointed spurs; toes furnished witli long and sharp-pointed claws, and a back toe longer eyen than the front ones. These birds inhabit Asia, Africa, and South America. In Brazil they are called " Surgeon-birds," from the resemblance the claw on their back toe bears to a lancet. They frequent swamps, lagoons, and the margins of pools. They walk on the wide-spreading leaves of tropical aquatic plants with perfect ease, although they swim very imperfectly: some naturalists, indeed, declare that they cannot swim at all, and. Fig. 123.—Jacana {Parra africana, Sw.). they are probably justified in this opinion by the appearance of the bird, which seems to have few characteristics of an aquatic species. Their flight is rapid, but not very high. The Jacanas live in pairs. They are exceedingly numerous, and perfectly fearless of man. They are restless and quarrelsome in their nature, frequently engaging in conflict with other birds, when they make good use of their spurs. They will defend their offspring with daring courage even against man himself, and will sacrifice their lives without hesitation in their defence. The male and the female evince the tenderest mutual attach- ment ; once united, they part no more during life. They make their nest in a clump of flags or other aquatic plants, in which the. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Figuier, Louis, 1819-1894; Gillmore, Parker, ed. Springfield, Mass. , W. J. Holland
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecad, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectreptiles
