STKLOIDOPTBRYX. — POLIOPTILA, 351 



Habits. The following note has been copied from Mr. Quelch 

 (Timehri (2) v. p. 77, 1891), who observed this species in Greorge- 

 town and remarks : — " A much smaller bird, swifter and more 

 bat-like on the wing, is often seen sweeping overhead. This is 

 the Red-throated Swallow (^Stelgidopteryx ruficollis), A very 

 curious feature in connection with these birds is the presence, in 

 the males, of a very stiff' and roughened outer edge to the first 

 quill of the wing, so that it is distinctly serrated and hard to the 

 touch. They are brown-coloured above, passing into a bright 

 yellow on the under centre, while the throat is of a brick-red. 



" The Swallows are bold and fearless little birds, domineering 

 even over the pugnacious Tyrant Shrikes or Kiskadees. They 

 seem to frequent special houses where by their greater elevation 

 or isolation they are less disturbed ; and about these they are found 

 plentifully, chattering and quarrelling with special emphasis at 

 nesting time. They are always to be met with in the river, and 

 generally before heavy rain they are to be seen circling overhead 

 in considerable numbers in the gloomy sky." 



Family MUSCICAPID^. 



This family, which is almost entirely restricted to the Old World, 

 is represented by one genus in the New, which is distributed in 

 North, Central, and South America. When Brabourne and 

 (!hubb published their 'List of the Birds of South America,' 1912, 

 thirteen species were known to occur, one of which is represented 

 in British Gruiana. 



Genus POLIOPTILA Sclater. 

 Polioptila Sclater, P. Z. S. 1855, p. 11. Type P. ccerulea (Linn.). 



Fig. 135. — To show the bill and nostrils. 

 This genus is easily distinguished by its somewhat long and 



