(484) 



THE WHITE SWALLOWS OF AYLESBURY. 



By the HON. ^Y ALTER ROTHSCHILD. 



IN No\ ITATES ZooLOGlCAE, I. p. 667, I recorded the occurrence of alliino swallows iu 

 Avle.sbury, all being the young of the same pair of regularly coloured adults, 

 through four successive years. This year the nest of the same ))air contained three 

 white ones and two black ones, which all flew oflf on .lune 271 h, and were not caught. 

 One entirely white swallow, probably one of this nest, was seen by Arthur Goodsoii, 

 the attendant in my Museum, one mile from Aylesbiu-y ou August 6th. But our pair 

 of swallows laid once more this year, and the second brood consisted of four black 

 one-s and only one white. This was about ready for leaving the nest for good, and 

 was brought to me on August 10th. The eye of this specimen was of a pale brownish 

 pink colour. At the first glance this and all the former white swallows of Aylesbury 

 are white, but ou closely examining them one will see that all the upper parts 

 are overshaded with a pale brownish bufif hue, of which there is no trace below. 

 The bases of the feathers of the body are brownish. On the tail the round white 

 spots are distinctly visible, these being of a clearer and purer white. This year's 

 specimen is a fevude. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW HUMMING-BIRD. 



By ERNST HARTERT. 



Heliangelus claudia si>. nov. 



Capita, colli lateribus, alarum tectricibus, cauda et corpore supra nigris, minute 

 purjiurascente tinctis ; parva macula postoculari alba ; remigibus brunneis ; macula 

 frontali nigro-purpurea ; gida hyacinthino-cyaneis ; torque ))ectorali alliido ; iib- 

 dominis plumis nigris, pallide-fulvo marginatis, abdomine medio sordide fulvo ; 

 subcaudalibus albidis, medio brunneis ; rostro nigro. 



Long. tot. cire. 10 cm. ; al. 61 mm. ; caud. 12 mm. ; culm. 19 mm. 



Hab. Colombia. 



One .specimen, of the well-known Bogota-make, was sent to us by M. Gounelle, 

 entomologist, of Paris. It is apparently not quite adult. The spot on the forehead 

 is of a dull purplish black, the pectoral band is shaded in places with bilff, the 

 feathers of the abdomen are all margined with fulvous, the outer rectrices are all 

 minutely tipped with fulvous — all characters which may indicate immaturity. The 

 deep black upperside, with only a faint indication of a jjurple gloss, is most singular. 

 The colour of the throat is somewhat like that of Helimu/elus vioiicoUta .Salvin 

 (Cat. B. \X\. p. 162 and PI. \ .). but not so deep nor so violet, and //. inolicolUs 



