Parra Jacana

“Parra. Jacanas. Bill plover-like, contracted in continuity, enlarged terminally; with culmen depressed to end of nasal groove, then convex and decurved; outline of mandibular rami about straight to the gonys, which is ascending; commissure about straight to the decurved end. Nasal grooves along the contracted portion of the bill; nostrils small, elliptical, situate in advance of the base of the bill. Angle of mouth with a leaf-like lobe of skin (rudimentary in our species). Forehead with a large leaf-like lobe of skin, with free lateral and posterior edges, adherent centrally and anteriorly where reaching base of upper mandible. A sharp horny spur on bend o wing Primaries 10, not peculiar in structure; outer 3 about equal and longest, overlaid by the inner quills in the closed wing. Tail very short, with soft rectrices concealed be the coverts. Tibia bare below, and with the tarsus scutellate before and behind, the scutella tending to become confluent in a continuous sheath. All the toes, claws included, longer than tarsus; middle toe alone nearly as long as tarsus; outer toe alone about as long as middle, its claw shorter than that of middle toe; inner toe a little shorter than outer, its claw longer; hind toe only about as long as basal joint of middle toe, but its claw much longer than itself; all the claws slender, about straight, very acute.” Elliot Coues, 1884

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