PSALIDOPROCNE PRISTOPTERA (Rtipp.y 



BLUE ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW. 



Hirundo pristoptera, Hupp. Neue Wirb. Taf. 39. fig. 2 (1835). 



Hirundo {Chelklon) pristoptera, Hupp, t. c. p. 105 (1835). 



Atticora albiscapulata, Boie, Isis, 1844, p. 172 (ex Riipp. MSS.) ; Gray, Hand-1. B. 



i. p. 75, no. 801 (1809). 

 Chelklon pristoptera, Itiipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 22 (1815). 

 Atticora pristoptera, Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 58 (1845); id. Cat. Eissir. Brit. Mus. p. 21 



(1848) ; Bp. Consp. i. p. 337 (1850) ; Heugl. J. f. O. 1801, p. 420, 1803, p. 4 ; 



Brehm, Reis. Habescb, p. 208 (1803); Einsch, Trans. Zool. Soc. vii. p. 217 



(1870). 

 Chelklon (?) pristoptera, Heugl. Syst. Uebers. p. 17 (1850). 

 Pristoptera typica, Bp. Rivist. Contemp., Torino, 1S57, p. 4. 

 Psalkloprocne pristoptera, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1804, p. 109 ; Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. 



p. 148 (1809) ; Blanf. Geol. & Zool. Abyss, p. 349 (1870) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, 



p. 290 ; Antin. & Salvad, Viagg. Bogos, p. 71 (1873) ; Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. 



Genov. (2) i. p. 123 (1884) ; Sbarpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. x. p. 205 (1885). 



Ps. orunino chalybeo-niger ; subalaribus et axillaribus albis. 

 Had. iu Africa septentrionali-occidentali. 



Adult. Above glossy blue-black, with a greenish tinge on the wings and tail; quills greenish black, the 

 inner web dusky ; tail much forked, greenish black above, dusky underneath ; under surface of 

 the body glossy blue-black ; under wing-coverts and axillaries white : "bill black; feet and iris 

 dusky" {Von Heuglin). Total length 5*5 inches; of bill from front 6, from gape 0'4; wing 0*4, 

 tail 3 ; tarsus G"35, middle toe - 4, hind toe 02, lateral toes - 25. 



The adult female, according to Von Heuglin and Salvadori, does not differ from the male. 



Hah. Confined to the mountains of North-eastern Africa, from Bogos Land through Abyssinia to Shoa 

 and Galla Land. 



This very distinct species of Rougb-winged Swallow was discovered by the late 

 Dr. Riippell during bis travels in Abyssinia in tbe early part of tbe present century: 

 It is easily recognized from all other species of the genus JPsalidoprocne by its white 

 under wing-coverts and blue coloration. 



Riippell found it in tbe province of Semien, in Abyssinia, where he says that it was 

 building its nest in the crevices of rocks in the valleys, a statement at variance with the 



