ATTICORA MELANOLEUCA (T«.), 



BLACK-COLLARED SWALLOW. 



Uirundo melanoleuca, Tenant. PI. Col. iv. pi. 209. fig. 2 (1823, ex Xeuwied, 3ISS.) ; 



Neuwied, Beitr. Naturg. Bras. iii. p. 371 (1831) ; Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 58 (1845) ; 



Cab. in Schomb. Reis. Guian. iii. p. 672 (1848) ; Gray, Hancl-1. B. i. p. 72, no. 854 



(1S69). 

 Cecropis melanoleuca, Less. Compl. Buff. viii. p. 499 (1837). 

 Uerse melanoleuca, Bp. Consp. i. p. 341 (1850). 

 Atticora melanoleuca, Burm. Syst. Uebers. iii. p. 146 (1856) ; Baird, Review Arner. 



B. p. 310 (1805); Pelz. Orn. Bras. pp. 18, 402 (1871); Scl. & Salv. Nomencl. Ay. 



Neotr. p. 14 (1873) ; Salv. & Godin. Biol. Centr.-Arner., Aves, i. p. 229 (1883) ; 



Sharpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. x. p. 185 (1885); Salvin, Ibis, 1885, p. 206. 



A. subtils alba : fascia prsepectorali indigotico-nigra. 

 Hab. in Brasilia. 



Adult. General colour above dull blue-black, the feathers with ash-coloured bases ; lesser and median 

 wing-coverts like the back ; greater coverts, bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills brown, 

 glossed slightly with blue on the outer web; tail-feathers brown, also faintly glossed with blue ; 

 lores velvety black ; ear-coverts and feathers below the eye blue-black ; cheeks and throat white, 

 separated from the breast by a broad band of blue-black ; remainder of under surface white, 

 washed with brown on the sides of the body and thighs ; in the centre of the chest a longitudinal 

 spot of blue-black feathers below the breast-baud ; sides of upper breast blackish washed with 

 blue ; under tail-coverts blackish, slightly washed with blue ; axillaries and under wing-coverts 

 blackish brown, the coverts near the edge of the wing edged with white ; cpaills dusky below : 

 "bill black; legs blackish ashy brown; iris dark" (Neuwied). Total length 55 inches, culmen 

 0-3, wing -i-8, tail 2"9, tarsus 0-45. 



Hab. Brazil. 



This species is extremely rare in collections, and we only know of one specimen in this 

 country. It was discovered more than fifty years ago by the late Prince Maximilian of 

 Neuvued, and since that time no one but the celebrated traveller Xatterer appears to 

 have met with it in that country. 



Altbough Temminck, in the ' Planches Coloriees,' states that the species figured 

 by him was the Uirundo melanoleuca of Prince Max., the latter does not appear to have 

 actually published the name until 1831, and therefore Temminck's becomes the first real 

 description of the species, tbe date of the ' livraison ' in which it appeared being 1823. 



