The present species of Swallow was discovered by the late Mr. G. N. Skinner, the 

 pioneer of ornithological discovery in Guatemala. He sent home specimens to Mr. Gould, 

 who described them in 1858, and afterwards handed them over to the British Museum. 

 Messrs. Salvin and Godman afterwards found it themselves and have given the following 

 note in the ' Biologia ' : — " Our first intimate acquaintance with this Swallow was in 

 February 1862, when staying at Coban, where it was a common species, frequenting the 

 great church of the town ; and our specimens were secured as they flew round over the 

 courtyard of the house where we were staying, and which was close to the church. 

 Having thus become familiar with the bird, we frequently observed it subsequently in 

 the higher lands of the main Cordillera. Thus it was common at several points on the 

 road from the city of Guatemala to Antigua, and we also observed it in several parts of 

 the Altos, at an elevation of at least 8000 feet above the sea. In its habits and mode of 

 flight we noticed nothing to distinguish it from other Hirundines." The localities 

 mentioned by Messrs. Salvin and Godman are Coban, Quiche, Totonicapam, Quezalte- 

 nango, Barranco de Los Chocoyos, Calderas, the ridge above Barsinas, Villa Lobos, and 

 Acevtuno. 



The descriptions are taken from birds collected by Messrs. Salvin and Godman, in 

 the British Museum, and the figure is drawn from one of this same series. 



