186 ZOOLOGY. 



COTYLE SERRIPENNIS, Bonap. 



Rongli-'wlnged Swallo^r, 



Hirundo serripennis, Aud. Orn. Eiog. IV, 1S38, 593. — Is. Birds America, T, 1840, 193 ; pi. 51. 

 Cotyle serripennis, Bonap. Consp. 1850, 342. — Cassin, Illust. I, 1855, 247. — Brewer, N. Am. Oology, I, 1857, 

 106, fig. 50, (egg.)— Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 313. 



Sp. Ch. — Tail slightly emarginate ; first primary with the pennulae of the outer web much stiffened, with their free extremi- 

 ties recurred into a hook very appreciable to the touch. No feathers on the tarsus and toes. Above rather light sooty brown, 

 beneath whitish gray, or light brownish ash, becomiug nearly pure white in the middle of the belly and on the under tail coverts. 

 Length, 5.50 ; extent, 12.50 ; wing, 4.28 ; tail, 2.23. Iris, brown ; bill and feet, black. 



Hab. — United States, from Atlantic to Pacific. 



The rough-winged swallow is common about the sandy cliffs of the bays and inlets of this 

 coast. It arrives near the Columbia river in May, and remains until the middle of August, 

 when, though in so mild a climate, all the swallows go southward, their last broods being still 

 scarcely able to fly. This species burrows holes in soft, sandy banks near the tops of cliffs, 

 and has the same habits as the bank swallow of the east. Their only notes are a few chirping 

 calls. — C. 



Rather abundant in both Oregon and Washington Territories. Several specimens were 

 obtained by me and forwarded to the Smithsonian museum. — S. 



PROGNE PURPUREA, Bole. 



Purple Martin. 



Hirundo purpurea, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 176ti, 344.— Aodcbon, Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 115 ; pi. xxiii.— Ib. Birds Am. 



1,1840, 170; pi. xlv. 

 Progne purpurea, Boie, Isis, 1826, 971.— Bonap. List, 1838.— Cassin, Illust. I, 1855,245 — Brewer, N. Am. 



Oology, I, 1857, 103 • pi. iv, fig. 47, (egg.)— Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 314. 

 Hirundo subis, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. I, 1766,344, (second year.) 

 Hirundo violacea, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 1026. 



gp. Ch. Largest of N. American swallows. Closed wings rather longer than the deeply forked tail. Tarsi and toes naked. 



Color, in the old male, everywhere glossy steel blue, with purple and violet reflections. Female and immature male less bril- 

 liant above, pale brownish beneath, blotched with darker or with bluish. Length, 7.30 ; wing, 5.85 ; tail, 3.40. 



Hod. — North America generally. 



On the 23d of May, 1856, I obtained at Fort Steilacoom, Washington Territory, a specimen 

 of Progne, agreeing very well with a description of F. purpurea, with which I at the time 

 compared it. Unfortunately the skin was lost, with a large and valuable consignment of north- 

 western birds, which was despatched from Fort Steilacoom to the Smithsonian, but never 

 reached its destination. I was especially sorry to lose this bird, as I wished it to be compared 

 with such specimens of P. chalybea (vide Cassin' s description of this species) as were in the 

 museums of the Philadelphia Academy and Smithsonian Institution. 



My specimen measured 8.50 by 16.38. It is not a common bird in Washington Territory, 

 and I was only able to obtain this one specimen, although I saw several others at odd times. 

 They were then met with in groves of scrub -oaks on the Nisqually plains. — S. 



I never saw this bird in the Territ^, where it must be rare. — C. 



