PETROCHELIDON ARIEL (Gould). 



FAIRY CLIFF-SWALLOW. 



Collocalia ariel, Gould, P. Z. S. 1842, p. 132 ; id. B. Austral, ii. pi. 15 (1848). 

 Sirundo ariel, Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 58 (1845) ; id. Cat. Fissir. Brit. Mus. p. 25 (1848) ; 



id. Hand-1. B. i. p. 70, no. 818 (1869). 

 Chelidon ariel, Gould, B. Austr. Intr. p. xxx (1848) ; Ramsay, Ibis, 1865, pp. 299, 



300. 

 JELerse ariel, Bp. Consp. i. p. 340 (1850). 

 Petrochelidon ariel, Cass. Cat. Hirund. Mus. Philad. Acad. p. 6 (1853) ; Sharpe, Cat. 



Birds in Brit. Mus. x. p. 199 (1885). 

 Lillia ariel, Boie, J. f. O. 1858, p. 364. 

 Lagenoplastes ariel, Gould, Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 113 (1865) ; Ramsay, Ibis, 1868, 



p. 275 ; id. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. ii. p. 179 (1878) ; Salvad. Orn. Papuasia e 



delle Molucche, ii. p. 7 (1881). 

 Chelidon arborea (nee Gould), Ramsay, Ibis, 1865, p. 299 (lapsu cal.) ; id. Ibis, 

 1866, p. 127 . 



P. capite rufo • uropygio conspicue albo • gula striis nigricantibus angustissimis notata,. 

 Hob. in Australia. 



Adult. General colour above deep blue, the lesser wing-coverts like the back ; remainder of the wing- 

 coverts and quills dusky, with a slight gloss externally • lower back and rump creamy white, 

 slightly mottled with pale smoky brown where the bases to the feathers show through ; upper 

 tail-coverts dull smoky brown ; tail-feathers dusky brown, glossed on the outer web with blue ; 

 crown of head bright rufous, with very minute blackish shaft-lines ; nape mottled, the feathers 

 being spotted with dark blue and edged with rufous ; lores and a Hue above the eye black ; sides 

 of face and ear-coverts dull smoky brown; cheeks aud throat white, very minutely spotted with 

 dusky shaft-streaks, these streaks continued on to the fore neck, which is sandy brown like the 

 sides of the body and flanks ; breast and abdomen pure white ; under tail-coverts white, with a 

 slight smoky tinge ; under wiDg-coverts and axillaries dull sandy brown, the outer coverts mottled 

 with blackish bases ; qudls dusky below, lighter brown along the inner webs : " bill blackish grey • 

 legs and feet olive-grey ; iris blackish brown " (/. Gould). Total length 4 - 6 inches, culmen 0*3, 

 wing 3*7, tail 1*9, tarsus 0*1. 



The sexes are alike in plumage, according to Mr. Gould. 



Hab. Confined to the continent of Australia. 



In tbe year 1865, the late Mr. Gould instituted the genus Lagenoplastes for the Cliff- 



K 



