3 
BIRDS—HIRUNDINIDAE— HIRUNDO THALASSINA, 11 
As a general thing specimens of this species from the extreme south of the United States, as 
Brownsville, Texas, and those from the western coast are considerably smaller than those from 
Pennsylvania. 
The female is duller in color than the male; the metallic tints of the back much more obscure 
and less continuous. The shade is rather more violet. 
The young male of the year (164,) is entirely of a sooty grayish brown above and on the 
wings, with the faintest possible trace of purplish reflection on the head and back. The color is 
somewhat like that on the back of Cotyle riparia, but darker. 
It is not at all improbable that careful comparisons of many specimens may ultimately prove 
the existence of distinct species of white-bellied swallows on the two sides of the continent. 
The difference in size will be shown by the table of measurements. In two California specimens 
before me, one has the same greenish gloss as Pennsylvania skins ; in the other the lustre is 
more of a steel blue. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. | Sex and Locality. | When collected. Whence obtained. Orig. | Length. | Stretch | Wing. 
No. age. No. of wings. | 
2097 g | Carlisle, Pa.....------ | April 12, 1845 _-| S. F. Baird ....--..---|.----- | 6.25 | 12.25 5.00 
D34ile lee Oles leanes = doe see eee May 24, 1845--.|------ donts-2 = s2-225.|C oes | 5.33 | 12.25 4.25 
1164 Crap soe sac te eretasete tee | Aug. 22, 1843_-_|-..--= domeene 2 sacealecces= | 6.83 12. 50 4, 67 
78¢0|| Foe See en ae liMtay. 24184552 sain ele a a Oe eens eee |. eee. 
Northern Ilinois......|---------------- RB, Mennicothatcesdoces|-vscce eee Smee ei 
4663 3 Matamorass Mexseneses|-s-neeeasa-ssece IhigttalCouchescese sae |seen— cleo eens oe |aaoe sess | eee 
C3 | a ee Ont ee see (hat dia cP tease i See lo ee eee el eee ee et ee [oe 
4665) G |..---- dg ee ee ete a ee andy. Fy See A FAS leer em eer He ee 
4666 Gmc eseee (0 ee on a ee eae oy eS O0Ssecaccaconenc|-aaees|soacao--|nien ena onoaes aces 
4667 eos eT Gi ved ey ae Ua gags FS Scr ete ee eee Pa doece a ete 3. paste: Siicecd = eee 
5913 rot Steilacoom, W.T.--.-- | June, 1855 ...-.- ders Coopercaan oeLee|=aace= 6. 00 12850. \s--eeees 
6ols| 3g |..-.-. ge es rd Testes Dr. Suckley, U.S.A. --| 88] 5.00 | 12.50| 4.75 
6015 ref Shoalwater bay, W. T.-| May 2, 1854 ----| J. G. Cooper.........- 76 | &.00 12. 50 | 4.75 , 
5494 ret Petaluma, \Calo=s52.22-|2 S22 ste esses i ealiuels oe aso eae Wl2A| a eeneee ae (reeeeeee 
Al O0t noe ee San Francisco, Cal_---- Winters 18b4ise- phe Ds Cuttssseseeesan o-|-5 soos en | ee |po oe ee 
Sp. Co.—Tail acutely emarginate. 
violet concentrated on the nape into a transverse band. 
purple. 
HIRUNDO THALASSINA, Swainson. 
Violet-Green Swallow. 
Hirundo thalassina, Swarnson, Taylor’s Philos. Mag I, 1827, 365.—Avp. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 597; pl. 385.— 
Is. Birds Am. I, 1840, 186; pl. 49.—Cassiv, Illust. I, 1855, 245.—Brewer, N. Am. Oology, 
I, 1857, 102; pl. v, f 74. 
Chelidon thalassina, Boie, Isis, 1844, 171. 
Tachycineta thalassina, Cananis, Mus. Hein. 1850, 48. 
Beneath pure white. 
Colors of female much more obscure. 
Length, 4.75; wing, 4.50; tail, 2. 
Hab.—Rocky Mountains to Pacific ; south to Mexico ; east to Saltillo, Mexico. 
(Egg.) 
(Type.) 
Above soft velvety green, with a very faint shade of purplish 
Rump rather more vivid green; tail coverts showing a good deal of 
