HIRUNDO LEUCOSOMA, .S'.^Ym,.. 



WHITE-BODIED CHIMNEY-SWALLOW. 



Hirundo leucosoma, Swains. B. W. Afr. ii. p. 74) (1837) ; Eraser, P. Z. S. 1843, p. 51 ; 



Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 58 (1815) ; id. Cat. Eiss. Brit. Mus. p. 24 (1848) ; Bp. Consp. 



i. p. 339 (1850) ; Hartl. J. f. O. 1853, p. 398; id. Orn. W.-Afr. p. 27 (1857) ; id. 



J. f. O. 1861, p. 103 ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1869, p. 188; Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 70, no. 827 

 (1869) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 309 ; id. Cat. Afr. B. p. 46 (1871) ; Shelley .V; 



Buckley, Ibis, 1872, p. 288 ; Ussher, Ibis, 1874, p. 62 ; De Bocheln-. Eauu. Si'iie-., 



Ois. p. 218 (1884); Sharpe, Cat. Bii-ds Brit. Mus. x. p. 147 (1SS5). 

 Chelidon leucosoma, Boie, Isis, 1844, p. 171. 

 Semicecrops leucosoma, Bp. Ptivist. Contemp., Torino, 1857, p. 4. 



iy. tergo cajruleo, uropj'gio dorso concolorc ; fronte pileo concolore ; gutturc et corporc toto iiii'criorc' ptiri' 

 alhis; tectricibus alarum majoribus intimis et secundariis iutimis cxtcrne albis, I'usciam loiiuitu- 

 dinalem albam formantibiis. 



Hab. in Africa occidcntali cis-equatoriali. 



Adult. Above dark glossy blue; a white longitudinal bar on tlie wing, which is produced by tlic innci- 

 greater coverts and secondaries being for the most part broadly edged externally with pure wliitc; 

 tail graduated, dark blue above, dusky beneath, all the feathers except the two niiddU' ones marked 

 with white on the inner web, the exterior feathers having a large oval spot, wliich gradually gct^ 

 smaller on the feathers as they approach the centre of the tail, till in the two nearest to the central 

 feathers it is reduced to a small oval spot ; entire under .surface with the luidcr wing- and tail- 

 coverts pure white; bill and feet black. Total length 4-8 inches; of bill from Trout Uo, I mm 

 gape 0-45; wing 4, tail 18, tarsus 0-3, middle toe O'l, hind toe ():i, lateral tor O'.'. 



Il(il). West Africa, from Scnegambia to Gaboon. 



This very distinct species of Cliimney-Swallow was lirst deseril^nl liy Swuinsoii iVom 

 a Gambitm specimen; and Dr. de Ilochelname states that it Ikis luvii mcl \\ith ;it 

 Casamence, Melacoree, Zekinkior, and Daraiika in Som-uaiiihia, luit il i^ rare iii lliat 

 part of West Africa ; tlie native naiiu' is, as usual, '' y \J<irgai(iin\" In iln' luiiish 

 Museum are specimens IVom I'aiitee and i'roin Accra on tin- Cohl ('ii:i'-i. ili" latlcr 

 obtained by Capt. llaynes. Tlu' hite ]\rr. L. I'raser also prormcd it in tin' laM.T loc;dily ; 

 but it appears to be by no means plentiriil, as (\i])t. Sliellcy and .Mr. T. I'.. I!ncklcy slulc 

 that they only met witli it occasionally. 'I'ln- laic Coxcrnnr l-slicr li:is writlisi ihr 

 I'oUowini,^ note: — " Not very coniinon in J';niltM'. ;ih liouuli (" r;i'-inn;ill\ n:ri wmIihImmiI 



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