PROGNE CHALYBEA. 25 



1878, p. 392 (Central Patagonia) ; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 595 (Buenos 

 Ayres). Progne elegans, Harrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl viii. p. 89 (Bahia 

 Blauca). Progne furcata, Baird, Rev. A. JB. p. 278; Sharpe, Cat. A. B. 

 x. p. 175. 



Description. Uniform deep purple-blue ; on each side of the back a small 

 concealed tuft of white feathers ; tail-feathers black, washed with blue : total 

 length 7'7 inches, wing 5-55, tail 3'3. Female: upper parts dull purple; head, 

 neck, and lower parts blackish brown. 



Hab. Argentina and Patagonia. 



The Purple Martin is occasionally seen in the eastern provinces of 

 La Plata when migrating, but has not been found nesting anywhere so 

 far north as Buenos Ayres. I met with it breeding at Bahia Blanca on 

 the Atlantic coast, and on the Rio Negro, where it is very common. 

 It arrives in Patagonia late in September, and leaves before the middle 

 of February. On the 14th of that month I saw one flock flying north, 

 but it was the last. It breeds in holes under the eaves of houses or in 

 walls, and its nest is like that of P. chalybea ; but many also breed in 

 holes in the steep banks of the Rio Negro. They do not, however, 

 excavate holes for themselves, but take possession of natural crevices 

 and old forsaken burrows of the Burrowing Parrot (Conurus patacho- 

 nicus). In size, flight, manners, and appearance the Purple Martin 

 closely resembles the following species, the only difference being in the 

 dark plumage of the under surface. The language of the two birds is 

 also identical ; the loud excited scream when the nest is approached, the 

 various other notes when the birds sweep about in the air, and the agree- 

 ably modulated and leisurely-uttered song are all possessed by the two 

 species without the slightest difference in strength or intonation. This 

 circumstance appears very remarkable to me, because, though two 

 species do sometimes possess a few notes alike, the greater part of their 

 language is generally different ; also because birds of the same species 

 in different localities vary more in language than in any other particular. 

 This last observation, however, applies more to resident than to migra- 

 tory species. 



26. PROGNE CHALYBEA (Gm.). 

 (DOMESTIC MARTIN.) 



Progne chalybea, Scl. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 606 (Buenos Ayres) ; Scl. et Salt. 

 Nomencl. p. 14 ; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 595 (Buenos Ayres) ; Barrows, Bull. 

 Nutt. Orn. CL viii. p. 88 (Concepcion) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. x. p. 178. Progne 

 domestica, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 477 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. x. p. 177. 

 Description. Entire upper parts deep purple-blue ; lesser and median wing- 

 coverts the same ; wing- and tail-feathers black, glossed with steel-blue ; throat, 

 fore ueck, and chest ash- colour; breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts pure 



