2Y6 



REVIEW OP AMERICAN BIRDS. 



[part I. 



the Yermejo River, Paraguay, which may belong to the species usu- 

 ally considered as the resident "P. purpurea^'' of South America, 

 but belonging clearly to a different and apparently unnamed species. 

 Specimens are in the collection from the entire United States 



is similarly marked below ; dark brown above, with only faint metallic gloss 

 towards tlie ends of the feathers, all the feathers narrowly margined with 

 light grayish. 



(No. 21,009, Paraguay.) Total length, 7.50 ; wing, 5.40 ; tail, 3.40 ; depth 

 of fork, .84; distance between 1st and 9th primary, 2.3G ; length of bill from 

 forehead, .52, from nostril, .32, along gape, .87, width, .62 ; tarsus, .57 ; 

 middle toe and claw, .85; claw alone, .26; hind toe and claw, .54; claw 

 alone, .27. 



A specimen in Mr. Lawrence's collection, from Bahia (No. 146), and probably 

 of this species, has nearly attained its full plumage. The color is a steel blue, 

 with less purple than in P. subis, except about the head and neck, the 

 lower part of the back showing a good many of the blackish-bronze feathers 

 just described. The feathers of the under parts posteriorly, although steel 

 blue, have yet a very narrow border of dull gray. The tibial feathers are gray 

 at base, tipped with whitish, and there is a good deal of concealed white in 

 the middle of the feathers of the anal region, less, however, than in the Cuban 

 species. As in that bird there is also more lustre on the quills and tail 

 feathers than in suhls ; but, owing to these being in moult, I cannot make 

 any comparison of proportions. 



The great difference in the coloration of the young bird distinguishes this 

 species very satisfactorily from the P. subis, in which, as far as the examina- 

 tion of many specimens goes, the under parts are never of that peculiar uni- 

 form dark brown just described. Of this stage of plumage, so marked in the 

 three specimens from the Vermejo, and in a specimen belonging to the Phila- 

 delphia Academy, I find no mention by authors. 



It is very probable that this is the species usually considered as the P. 

 subis {purpurea), of South America. That this is not the fact is easily shown 

 by the difference in size and proportion, as well as in the coloration of the 

 young birds. It cannot be chalybea, even if this, when adult, be entirely 

 blue, as it is much larger than as described by Buffon and Brisson, and is 

 dark fuscous brown beneath, and neither reddish-gray nor grayish-brown. It 

 of course is none of the white-bellied species, and as far as I can see, lacks a 

 name. 



The "Prorjne purpurea,^' which Darwin found breeding at Bahia Blanca, 

 Buenos Ayres, in holes excavated in the earth, probably belongs to this species. 

 This habit I have not heard mentioned in reference to the North American bird. 



