2 ARTAMlD^i. 



The following characters will serve to distinguish the four families 

 treated of in the present volume : — 



A. Planta tarsi entire. 



a. Nostrils placed low in the bill, nearer to 



the tomium than to the culmeu. 

 o'. Wings extremely long, reaching to 



the end of the tail ArtamidsB, p. 2. 



b'. Wings moderate, not reaching to the 



end of the tail Sttirnidffi, p. 22. 



b. Nostrils placed high in the bill, nearer to 



the culmen than to the tomium .... PloceidaB, p. 198. 



B. Planta tarsi scutellated Alandidae, p. 512. 



Family I. ARTAMID^E. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Bill long and pointed, the cidmen exceeding 

 the length of the hind toe and claw ; tail- 

 feathers ordinary Aetamus, p. 2. 



h. Bill broad, the culmen not so long as the 

 hind toe and claw; tail-feathers elongated 

 in the centre of the shafts, giving a spine- 

 like appearance Pseudochelidon, p. 21. 



1. AETAMUS. ^yp^ 



Artamus, Vieill. Analyse, p. 41 (1816) A. leucogaster. 



Ocypterus, Cm: Rkjne Anim. p. 339 (1817) A. leucogaster. 



Leptopteryx, Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii. p. 143 



(1821) " A. leucogaster. 



Cf. S/iarpe m Rowkt/s Orn. Misc. iii. pp. 179-202. 



Ranrje. Confined to the Indian and Australian Regions. 



Key to the S2)eeies. 



a. Lower rump and upper tail-coverts pure white ; 

 breast white. 

 «'. Back black or brownish. 



a". Head ashy grey all round or blackish 



grey ; entire back browner leucogaster, p. 3. 



h". Head black all round. 



a'". Larger: wing 6'3 inches and entirely 



black, uniform with the back ma.rimiis, p. 8. 



b'". Smaller : wing 5'2 inches, blackish, 

 washed with slaty grey. 

 «*. Throat black, well defined ; hinder 

 cheeKS, ear-coverts, nnd sides of 

 neck also unifomi Waik vielatioletuuif, p. 8. 



