PROGNE. 273 



the size varying with the latitude. The absence of indications of 

 sex, of date, and even of locality, too, tends to confuse very much 

 all efforts at identification. 



All the species of true Progne are lustrous black above, with 

 blue, purple, or violet reflections. Several species are of this color 

 all over, differing among each other in size, proportions, and shape 

 of tail, etc. Others have white bellies and crissum, with the throat 

 and jugulum either like the back, or brown, 



I am quite satisfied that the impression as to the wide range of 

 the North American Purple Martin (P. auhU) is en-oneous, at least 

 during its breeding season, I have as yet seen no specimens from 

 South America referable to this species, nor do I find any mention 

 of it in the more recent lists of species of particular localities in that 

 continent by Sclater and others. Closely related allies, however, 

 exist, which will be elsewhere referred to. 



The endeavor to identify the specimens before me has been greatly 

 embarrassed by the absence of specimens unmistakably referable to 

 the Hirundo chalybea, of Gmelin ; this may be what I have called 

 leucogaster, but it in no way agrees with the original description. 



All the species of Progne exhibit very distinctly the patch of 

 white on the side of the body, covered by the closed wing — appa- 

 rently, indeed, characteristic of all the American Birundinidae. 



Synopsis of Species. 

 Adult males entirely glossy bhie-blaek all over. 



Females aud immature birds gray or light brownish 

 below ; the belly and crissum whitish, but more or 

 less clouded with gray, especially in the central por- 

 tion of the longer crissal feathers, the shafts generally 

 dusky. (Perhaps especially applicable only to subis.) 

 Feathers about anus with a very small central por- 

 tion pale whitish-gray. Wings and tail but 

 slightly glossed. Fork of tail about .80 deep subis. 

 Feathers about anus and of anterior part of crissum, 

 with much of their central portion pure, con- 

 cealed white. Belly of female perhaps much 

 more white than in last. Wings and tail 

 glossed almost like the back. Fork of tail 

 about 1.00 deep ...... cryptoleuca. 



Females and immature birds as in P. subis ? 



Feathers about anus and crissum dark brown in 

 their concealed portion. Wings and tail dull, 

 but slightly glossed. Fork of tail 1.10 deep . furcata. 

 18 May, 1865. 



