BREWSTER: BIRDS OF THE CAPE REGION, LOWER CALIFORNIA. 167 
Tachycineta thalassina lepida (Mearns). 
NORTHERN VIOLET-GREEN SwALLow. 
(?) Hirundo thalassina Batrp, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila, 1859, 301, 303, part 
(Cape St. Lucas) ; Rev. Amer. Birds, pt. I. 1865, 299 part (crit.; Cape St. 
Lucas; San José). 3 
(2) Tachycineta thalassina BELD1NG, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., V. 1883, 537, part (Cape 
Region). Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., I. 1889, 306, part (Cape 
Region). 
Dr. Mearns has recently separated the Violet-green Swallow which breeds 
throughout the western United States from that inhabiting the southern table- 
lands of Mexico, restricting the name thalassina to the latter and bestowing 
on the former the name lepida.1 He considers the two birds specifically 
distinct, but his text indicates that some of the specimens which he examined 
from northern Mexico were really intergrades, and I have others from the same 
region which unquestionably must be so regarded. 
Mr. Frazar took a typical female of lepida at La Paz on February 14. This, 
so far as I know, is the only specimen which has been thus far obtained in 
the Cape Region, but there can be little doubt that lepida occurs there more 
or less regularly and numerously in winter or during migration. Mr. Nelson 
writes me that it is the characteristic form of northern Lower California, from 
which we may infer that it was the bir’ found by Mr. Anthony about San 
Pedro Martir “nesting in hollow pines,” and “‘ very abundant from Valla- 
dares to the top of the mountain.” 2 
Tachycineta thalassina brachyptera, subsp. nov. 
St. Lucas SwALLow. 
Hirundo thalassina Batrp, Cat. N. Amer. Birds, 1859, no. 228, part; Proc. Acad. 
Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 201, 303, part at least (Cape St. Lucas); Rev. Amer. 
Birds, pt. I. 1865, 299, part at least (crit.; Cape St. Lucas; San José). 
Bairp, Brewer, and Ripeway, Hist. N. Amer. Birds, I. 1874, 347-349, 
part. 
[Tachycineta] thalassina Cours, Key N. Amer. Birds, 1872, 118, part. 
Tachycineta thalassina Cours, Check List, 1873, 23, no. 113, part ; 2d ed., 1882, 42, 
no. 161, part. Ripeway, Nom. N. Amer. Birds (Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 
21), 1881, 20, no. 156, part. Bexpine, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., V. 1883, 537, 
1 Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XV. 1902, 31, 32. 
2 Zoe, LV. 1893, 248 
