PROGNE. 



285 



hoary collar, 

 browu spots 



Epigastrium with a median line of rounded 



. fusca.* 



' Frogne fusca. 



Hirundo fusca, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. XIV, 1817, 510.— Ib. Encycl. Meth. 

 II, 529 (based on Golondrina de la parda, Azara, Apunt. II, 1805, 

 505, no. 301, Paraguay). — Frogne fusca, Cab. Mus. Hein. 1, 1850-1 

 (not of Gray?). 



Bab. Region of the Parana. 



(No. 12,042, % .) In coloration and markings an almost exact reproduction 

 of Cotyle riparia, although much larger. Above rather light smoky brown, 

 without metallic lustre ; the rump not paler than the back ; the quills and 

 tail feathers considerably darker, their upper surfaces with a faint greenish 

 gloss. All the smaller feathers above with paler edges. Beneath pure white ; 

 the sides of body and breast, lining of wings, tibiae, and a pectoral band, 

 brown like the back, the latter glossed with whitish. Feathers along median 

 line of belly, from pectoral baud almost to vent, with large, somewhat con- 

 cealed rounded blotches of brown, especially on the inner webs. Side of the 

 neck, with its lower half hoary white, this color extending round above so as 

 to form a nuchal band, but narrower, and much obscured with brown. Feathers 

 of crissum and chin, including their shaft, pure white from base. Bill and 

 legs apparently dark brown. 



The boundary between the white and brown on the side of head is in a line 

 with the commissure, though even below this and on the side of lower jaw 

 the feathers are tinged with brown. The smaller under wing coverts, and? the 

 feathers along the edge of the wing inside, are rather broadly margined with 

 white. 



(No. 16,341.) Total length, 6.50 ; wing, 4.85 ; tail, 3.00 ; depth of fork, .32 ; 

 difference of primaries, 2.35 ; length of bill from forehead, .61, from nostril, 

 .34; along gape, .85 ; tarsus, .54: middle toe and claw, .75 ; claw alone, .25 ; 

 hind toe and claw, .50 ; claw alone, .24. 



The specimens here described, from Capt. Page's collection, are labelled 

 " Brazils," but were probably taken on the Parana River, in the interior of 

 the country, and in the region of Azara's species. It is, however, possible 

 that the species may be the tapera, as restricted by authors, and the bird I 

 have considered as tapera, true fuxca, if not an unnamed species. 



A specimen from the Vermejo (21,012) differs in lacking almost entirely the 

 paler edges of the feathers of upper parts, and in having the sides of the neck 

 much less hoary. The inside of the wing is less varied with white. 



