432 



North American iurds. 



C. spinicauda.' Upper pnrfs fjlossy black, with a white band across flip 

 ruiiip. Rtluw sooty-whitish, with indistinct black marks on tlie breast, 

 wing, 3/JU. Hub. Cayenne and Brazil. 



Chsetnra pelagica, Baird. 



CHIMHET SWALLOW. 



Uirundopelngicn, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 1758, 192. Iliruudo j^elasijin, LiXN. Syst. Nat. 

 I, 170(5, 345. — WiLs. Am. Orn. V, 1812, 48, pi. xxxix, fij,'. 1. Cypselus pclasijio, 

 Ai'i). Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 321) ; V, 419, pi. clviii. Chafum pdamjia, Stei'HKXS, in 

 Shaw's Gen. Zuol. Birds, XIII, II, li?25, 70. —lu. Birds America, I, 1840, 1(34, pi. 

 xliv. — Baiui), Birds N. Am. 1858, 144. — Sa.miki.s, ll(j. - Allkx, Birds Fla. 301. 

 Acnnlhylis pchts'jia, "Temm." — Box. Consp. 185n, 64. — Cassix, 111.1,1855, 241. 

 Hcmiprucne pclasijia, Strelbel, Isis, 1848, 3G3. Acukutcd SicalloWf Pexn. Arc. 

 Zool. II, 1785, 432. Cifpselus pclasyius, Max. Cab. Journ. 1858. 



Sp. Char. Tail slightly rounded. Sooty-brown all over, except om the throat, which 



becomes considerably lighter from the 

 breast to the bill. Above with a 

 greenish tinge ; the rump a little 

 paler. Length, .').2.') ; wing, 5.10; tail. 

 2.15. 



Had. Eastern United States to 

 sl*)])es of Rocky Mountains? 



The etymology of the specific 

 name of pelasgia, used by Lin- 

 lUL'US, of this bird, in the twelfth 

 cdititm of Sy.stema Xatura3, 

 has always been a question. 

 We find tliat the word in the 

 tenth edition is ijchiyka, refer- 

 ring probably to the siipi)Osed 



Chatura ptln^ira. 



passage over tlie Caribl>ean Sea in its annual migrations. 



Chcvtnra vaiuiy tlie western representative of this bird, is extremely similar, 

 but distinguishable by^ considerably smaller size, much lighter, almost white, 

 tliroat, paler rump, and under parts decidedly lighter than the back. C. 

 poliura, which much resembles it, is blacker above, and much darker below. 

 (See synopsis on page 1027.) 



Habits. The common Chimnev Swallow of North America has an ex- 

 tended range throughout the eastern portions of the continent, from the 

 Atlantic to the 50th pamllel of northern latitude. It was not met with by 

 Dr. Itichardson in the fur regions, but was found bv Sav at Pembina, on 



1 Chcetiira spinicanda, Scl. C'i/psehis spmicai(/fus, Tem. Tabl. Meth. p. 78 (ex Buff. PI. 

 Enl. 726, f. 1). JoiiifhiiUa s. Boie, Isis, 1826, p. 971 ; B<»xap. Consp. p. 64. Chxtura s. Scl. 

 Catal. Am. Birds, 1862, 283. Hinuido pehtsgia, var.. Lath. Ind. Orn. II, 581. ffab. Cayenne 

 and Brazil. 



