236 HIRUNDINID. 
Supra seneo-viresceus ; regione preoculari nigra et supra eam linea parva utrinque alba, uropygio albo-fusco 
leviter striato ; alis et cauda nigricantibus, secundariis in pogonio externo albo anguste marginatis ; subtus 
omnino albus, abdomine vix fusco leviter striato, rostro et pedibus nigris. Long. tota 4”5, alee 3°8, caude 
rectr. med. 1°5, rectr. lat. 1:7, rostria rictu 0-6, tarsi 0-4. (Deser. maris ex Belize, Brit. Honduras. 
Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Mexico, Mazatlan (Grayson*?*, Boucard); British Honpuras, Belize river, 
Cays of the coast (0. S.& F. D. G.); Guatemana, Peten, Yaxha, Rio Dulce, 
Huamuchal, Chiapam, San José de Guatemala* (0. S. & 2. D. G.); Satvapor, La 
‘Union (0. S.); Honpuras, Amapala (0. S.); Nicaraeua, Corinto (Baxter); Costa 
Rica (Zeledon*®); Panama, (M‘Leannan \? 4°), Matachin (0. 5.) 
Tachycineta albilinea was described from Panama specimens by Mr. Lawrence’, and 
a few weeks afterwards as Petrochelidon littorea by Salvin, from specimens obtained 
during our expedition of 1861-637. It has since been found to be abundant on both 
coasts of Central America’, and also of Mexico from Mazatlan and Vera Cruz south- 
wards. 
As will be seen above, it has been met with at nearly every port of Central America 
on the Pacific coast. In Guatemala and British Honduras, besides observing it on the 
coast, we found it not uncommon frequenting the inland freshwater lakes of Peten and 
Yaxha, and all down the Belize river. 
At Matachin on the Chagres river a nest with young was found in May 1878, in an 
old post, a hollow palm which had once served to support the roof of a hut. 
At Mazatlan, the most northern recorded limit of its range, Grayson says? it is 
common and resident, being one of the few non-migratory Swallows. At all seasons 
of the year its twitter may be heard about the eaves of the tiled houses or the spacious 
corridors of the peculiarly constructed Moorish Mexican haciendas. He often saw it 
skimming along the streets, at times almost touching the pavement in its pursuit of 
flies. Its customary haunts, he says, are near or about large towns or haciendas, and 
he rarely saw it far from some human habitation. In April it commences to form its 
nest, usually beneath the eaves of houses or in holes in the wall, often in the hollow 
tubes for conveying the water from the flat roofs of the buildings. This Swallow, he 
adds, is very sociable in its habits, and may often be seen in considerable numbers 
perched upon the roofs of the houses. 
This account of the habits of 7. albilinea hardly agrees with our experience. We 
only found them along river-courses or frequenting lagoons or lakes, a favourite perch 
being the dead bough of a snag projecting out of a river. Such places would often 
be far from any village; and though these birds were sometimes observed by us near 
habitations, they did not seem to be the attraction, but some river flowing hard by. 
T. albilinea is probably a resident species wherever it is found. 
Its nearest ally is 7’. lewcorrhous of Peru, Southern Brazil, and the Argentine Republic. 
