PSALIDOPROCNE HOLOMEL^NA (Su»dev.), 



BLACK ROUGH- WINGED SWALLOW. 



Hinmdo holomelas, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-Akad. Eorh. Stockh. 1850, p. 108; 



Hartl. J. f. O. 1856, p. 360 ; Grill, Zool. Anteckn. p. 36 (1858) ; Layard, Ibis, 



1864, p. 134; Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 70, no. 823 (1869). 

 Attlcora hamigera, Cass. Proc. Philad. Acad. 1850, p. 57, pi. 12. 

 Psalidoprocm cypseUna, Cab. Mus. Hein. Th. i. p. 48 (1850). 

 Atticora holomelas, Cass. Cat. Hirund. Mus. Philad. Acad. p. 6 (1882) ; Gurney, 



Ibis, 1863, p. 322 ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 57 (1867) ; id. Ibis, 1869, p. 72 ; Ayres, 



Ibis, 1876, p. 424. 

 Psalkloprocne holomela, Bp. Rivist. Contemp., Torino, 1857, p. 4. 

 Psalidoprocne holomelcena, Sclater, P.Z.S. 1864, p. 108; Slaarpe, P.Z.S. 1870, p. 288 



(pt.) ; id. Cat. Afr. B. p. 45 (1871, pt.) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 67 ; Barratt, Ibis, 



1876, p. 204 ; Salvin, Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 152 (1882) ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1882, 



p. 306 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 356 (1883) ; id. Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. 



x. p. 202 (1885). 

 Atticora holomelcena, Fischer, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. i. p. 358 (1884). 



Ps. nitenti-viridis, dorso quasi velutino vel fuscescenti-viridi, oleagino lavato ; pileo dorso concolori ; 

 subalaribus pectori coucoloribus ; Cauda furcata.. 



Hab. in Africa meridionali et oriental!. 



Adult male. Above dark greenish black, with scarcely any gloss, the centre of the back velvety greenish 

 black ; quills deep black with a slight greenish gloss, the outer web of the first primary distinctly 

 serrated ; tail dark greenish black, long, and deeply forked : " bill black ; nostrils large and 

 oval; tarsi and feet dusky pale; iris very dark brown" (T. Ayres); "legs purplish brown, 

 shading off into flesh-colour on the back of the tarsus and soles of the feet" (G. E. Shelley). 

 Total length 5 - 4 inches, culmen - 3, wing 4 - l, tail 3 - 0, tarsus - 3. 



Adult female. Similar to the male, but smaller and somewhat more dusky, the outer edge of the first 

 primary smooth and not serrated, and the tail less forked. 



Young. Much more dusky than the adults and not so plainly glossed with green. 



Hab. From the Knysna districts in the Cape Colony eastwards to Natal, and thence northwards as far 

 as the Zanzibar region in Eastern Africa. 



Although of a stouter build than the Rough-winged Swallow of Western Africa, the 

 present species has a considerably shorter tail, and looks at first sight to be the lesser 



