This Cariama, which much resembles the Crested Cariama in general appearance though smaller in size, and distinguished by several structural characters, is one of the many discoveries of the distinguished naturalist whose name it appropriately bears. Dr. Burmeister first met with the "Chuñia," as this bird is called by the natives, in the province of Tucuman during his travels in the northern parts of the Argentine Republic in 1859. The Chuñia, he tells us, is naturally friendly to mankind, and is often kept tame in the courtyards of houses along with the domestic fowls, amongst which it stalks about, eating remnants of flesh and large insects, especially grasshoppers. At night it roosts upon the roofs of the corridors. In a free state the Chuñia lives in the forests, running about in the bush in the daytime, and roosting in the summit of the large trees. The nest is placed in bushes, not very high, and the young birds are often taken when half-fledged and become quickly accustomed to captivity. Dr. Burmeister first met with this bird at La Invernada between Tucuman and Catamarca[10], but tells us that it inhabits besides these two provinces the adjoining districts of La Rioja and Santiago del Estero. It is always easier to hear it than to see it, for its loud screaming voice may be recognized at a distance, but when approached in the bush it keeps a discreet silence. [10] See Burmeister, 'Reise durch die La Plata-Staaten,' ii. p. 195. Several examples of Burmeister's Cariama have been received alive in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, from one of which an excellent figure has been taken by Mr. Smit (see P. Z. S. 1870, plate xxxvi.). The frontispiece of the present volume is a reduction of that figure by the same artist. Order XV. LIMICOLÆ. 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).