286 REVIEW OP AMERICAN BIRDS. [PART I. 



Sides of neck and nape brown, like the back, or the former 

 only slightly hoary. No distinct spots along the middle 

 of epigastrium tapera.^ 



PETROCHELIDON, Cabanis. 



Petrockeliclon, Cab. Mus. Hein. 1850-1, 47. (Type Hirundo melanog aster, 

 SvvAiNS. = P. swainsoni, Scl. ) 



Bill stout and deep, somewhat as in Progne. Nostrils entirely superior, 

 open, without overhanging membrane on the inner (or upper) side, but some- 

 what overhung by short bristles, seen also along base of inner mandible and 

 in chin. Legs stout ; the tarsi short, not exceeding the middle toe exclusive of 

 its claw ; feathered all round for basal third or fourth, though no feathers are 

 inserted on the posterior face. Tail falling short of the closed wings, nearly 

 square, or slightly emarginate ; the lateral feathers broad to near the ends, 

 and not attenuated. 



The claws of Petrochelidon are large, and considerably curved. 

 In poeciloma there is a distinct, though short web connecting the 



' Progne tapera. 



Hirundo tapera, Linn. S. N. 12th ed. 1766, 345, Brazil {DEirondelle 

 d^Am^rique, Brisson, II, 502, tab. 45, fig. 3). — Progne tapera, Cab. 

 Schomburgh's Reise Guiana, III, 672. — Sclater, Catal. 1861. — 

 Cotyle tapera, Bdrm. Uebers. Ill, 1857, 143 (Brazil). 



?Hirundo pascintm, Max. Beit. Ill, 1830, 360. 

 Eab. Brazil? Bolivia? Bogota? 



Specimens in the museum of the Philadelphia Academy, supposed to belong 

 to this species, though from Bolivia and Bogota, resemble fusca very closely, 

 but differ in larger and more attenuated bill, shorter toes, and fewer feathers 

 on tarsus. The size and color are much the same ; but the sides of neck and 

 nape lack the hoary white collar obscured behind, nor do I observe the line 

 of elongated rounded, partially concealed large brown spots along the median 

 line of the belly. "The white of the under parts is not so pure. 



Whether this be the same with the Brazilian tapera, of authors, I have not 

 had the opportunity of determining, but would not be surprised to find that 

 it was distinct. It is also quite possible that, in the absence of specimens 

 actually from Paraguay, I have incorrectly identified Capt. Page's specimens 

 as /usca, and that they are really tapera. 



Total length, 6.60; wing, 5.*30 ; tail, 2.85; depth of fork, .45; difference 

 of primaries, 2.55 ; length of bill from forehead, .65, from nostril, .38 ; along 

 gape, .88; tarsus, .54; middle toe and claw, .72; claw alone, 20; hind toe 

 and claw, .48 ; claw alone, .22. 



The Hirundo americana tapera, of Sloane (Jamaica, II, 212), the first reference 

 quoted by Linnseus, cannot be the present species, as it refers to a Jamaican 

 bird which Sloane compares with the European Swift ; it may be either Progne 

 dominicensis or Chaetura zonaris, quite possibly the latter. It is, therefore, a 

 question how far the name tapera can be retained for the species. 



