BIRDS — ^HIEUNDINIDAE — PROGNE PURPUREA. 



315 



Sp. Ch. — Largest of N. American swallows . Closed wings rather longer than the deeply forked tail . Tarsi and toes naked . 

 Color, in the old male, everywhere glossy steel blue, with purple and violet reflections. Female and immature male less 

 brilliant above, pale brownish beneath, blotched with darker or with bluish. Length, 7.30 ; wing, 5.85 ; tail, 3.40. 



Hah . — North America generally . 



Specimens of this species from Petaluma, California, are not appreciably different. The gloss 

 of the upper as well as the lower parts is rather more greenish, and less purple. The hills are 

 the same, as well as the size every way. Specimens from Coahuila, Mexico, are more like 

 Pennsylvania ones. In those from the Upper Missouri the gloss is more like that of the 

 Petaluma specimen. In one from Sacramento city again the colors have the usual purplish 

 gloss. 



A female from Petaluma has a very distinct grayish white collar across the nape, and the 

 entire forehead is of a similar color. 



I have never seen any specimens from the west coast agreeing with Mr. Cassin's description 

 of P. chalybea, in the larger and longer hill and smaller size. An adult Progne, from Chili, 

 labelled P. chalybea, by Mr. Verreaux, is exactly like the North American P. purpurea in size, 

 lustre, &c ; the only difference being, apparently, a narrower bill. Number 4773, from the 

 Upper Missouri, is, however, like it in this respect. 



List of specimens. 



Oatal. 

 No. 



Sex 

 &age. 



1561 

 1596 

 1607 

 1636 

 1129 

 4505 

 4506 

 4507 

 4508 

 4769 

 4770 

 4771 

 4772 

 4773 

 4774 

 4775 

 5204 

 5205 

 5596 

 5049 



3952 



3953 



S492 

 5493 

 6014 



Locality. 



Carlisle, Fenn 



do 



do 



;do 



do 



Cedar Island, Neb ... . 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Vermillion River, Neb. 



Nebraska 



Cedar Island, Neb . . . , 



Iowa point 



Fort Union, Neb . . , 

 BlackfoDt country . 

 PortRUey, K. T... 

 Indianola, Texas. , 



Ooahuila, Mex. 



Petaluma, Oal. 

 do , 



Sacramento..., 



When col- 

 lected. 



May 22, 1844 

 June 5, 1844 

 June 15, 1844 

 July 16,1844 

 July, 1843.... 

 May, 1854..., 



....do 



....do 



....do 



May 19,1854 

 May 8, 1854 

 May 15, 1854 



....do 



April 23 



April 23 



July, 1856.... 

 July, 1855.... 

 June 20, 1856 

 Mar. 12, 1«55 



May, 1853.... 



....do 



April, 1851 

 ....do.... 



Whence obtained. 



S. F. Baird 



do , 



do 



do 



do 



Col. A. Vaughan.. 



do 



do 



do 



Lt. G. K. Warren 



do 



do 



do 



.do 



do 



do 



.do. 



do 



Lt. F. T. Bryan. 

 Capt. J. Pope 



Lt. Couch. 



.do. 



£. Samuels .... 

 do 



Lt. Williamson. 



Orig. 

 No. 



231 

 232 



607 



576 



Collected by- 



Dr. Hayden. 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do , 



Lt. Warren . 



do 



do 



Dr. Hayden.. 



do 



W. S. Wood, 

 Capt. Pope.., 



Dr. Heerraann 



Length. 



8.17 

 8.08 

 7.75 

 7.83 



8. 



7.62 



7.87 



8. 



7.50 



7.75 



7.50 



8.25 

 6. 



Stretch 

 of wings. 



16.58 

 16.25 

 15.75 

 16.50 



16.13 



15.37 



15. 



16. 



16. 



15.25 



16. 



16.25 



14. 

 16. 



15.25 



Wing. 



5.83 

 5.59 

 5.92 



5.75 



5.75 

 5.25 



5.87 



5.50 



Remarks. 



Eyes dark. 



Eyes dark. 



Eyes dark ; gums rose-colored ; 



feet black ; bill black. 

 Eyes dark brown ; bill black ; 



feet very dark chestnut. 

 Eyes dark brown; bill black; 



feet very dark chestnut. 



