188 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



[April, 



Collocalia fuciphaga elaphra subsp. nov. 



Chars, subsp. — Similar to Collocalia fuciphaga fuciphaga, but de- 

 cidedly larger; upper parts much more brownish, and less uniform, the 

 rump being noticeably lighter than the back; lower surface decidedly 

 paler. 



Geographical distribution . — Seychelles Islands; Anaml^a Islands. 



Description. — Type, adult, sex unknown, No. 119,779, U. S. N. M.; 

 Mahe Island, Seychelles Islands, April 17, 1890; Dr. W. L. Abbott. 

 Upper surface sooty brown, with a very slight greenish gloss, the 

 pileum rather darker and more greenish, the rump much lighter 

 brownish — but not whitish — this due partially to the lighter bases of 

 the feathers; wings and tail darker, more blackish, with a dull bluish, 

 greenish or purplish sheen, the wing-coverts decidedly greenish; sides 

 of head and neck dark brown, darkest on the lores, where the feathers 

 have pure white bases; entire lower surface rather deep brownish gray, 

 somewhat paler posteriorly, darker on chin, the longest under tail- 

 coverts slightly glossed with greenish ; lining of wing blackish brown. 



The specimens on which this race is principally established were 

 collected by Dr. W. L. Abbott on Mahe, one of the Seychelles Islands. 

 They differ so much from typical Collocalia fuciphaga, of which we 

 have a considerable series from several localities, that it seems necessary 

 to regard them as representatives of another subspecies. 



The lighter colored rump, which seems to be one of the best char- 

 acters of this race, is not sufficiently decided to give the impression of 

 a whitish band such as exists in Collocalia francica and its allies, but it 

 is nevertheless quite different from the uniformly dark condition ob- 

 taining on the upper surface of Collocalia fuciphaga fuciphaga. From 

 Collocalia fuciphaga vestita, which in some respects it resembles more 

 closely than it does true fuciphaga, it may readily be distinguished by 

 its greater size, lighter, more brownish, and less uniform upper surface, 

 with the rump noticeably paler than the back. This new race, how- 



