BIRBS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 101 



Bill very small (length of exposed culmen not more than half the 

 distance from nostril to eye), much depressed, its width at frontal 

 antise somewhat less than length of exposed culmen, and about twice 

 its depth at same point; exposed culmen slightly curved from the 

 base, more decidedly so terminally, the tip of the maxilla minutely 

 but distinctly uncinate; maxillary tomium nearly straight, the sub- 

 terminal notch distinct. Nostril longitudinally ovate, almost concealed 

 by superincumbent feathering of frontal antise, no overhanging 

 operculum being visible. Rictal bristles few and short, almost obso- 

 lete. Tail less than half as long as wing, forked for less than one- 

 fourth its length, the lateral rectrices contracted in width only near 

 tip, the latter obtusely rounded. Tarsus longer than middle toe 

 without claw, entirely naked except for a very small portion of the 

 upper end in front; basal phalanx of middle toe united to that of outer 

 toe for most of its length, to the inner by about half its length; claws 

 of lateral toes reaching nearly to base of middle claw. 



Coloratioti.— Adults with upper parts burnished or highly glossy 

 green or golden, the under wing-coverts and axillars similar but 

 darker; under parts white. 



Nidificqiion. — (Unknown.) 



Range. — Islands of Haiti and Jamaica, Greater Antilles. (Two 

 species.) 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF LAMPEOCHELIDON. 



a. Upper tail-coverts golden green; back and scapulars greenish bronze, golden or 

 coppery; wing-coverts and tertials margined with golden green or golden bronze; 

 smaller, with tail less deeply forked (adult male with wing 110, tail 55, forked 



forll). (Island of Jamaica.) Lamproohelidon enchrysea (p. 101) 



on. Upper tail-coverts bluish green; back and scapulars golden green to bluish green; 

 wing-coverts and tertials margined with bluish green; larger, with tail more 

 deeply forked (adult male with wing 116, tail 58, forked for 15). (Island of 

 Haiti) lamproohelidon solateri (p. 102) 



LAMPROOHELIDON EUCHRYSEA (Gosse). 

 GOSSE'S SWALLOW. 



Adult male. — Above, including sides of head down to and including 

 chin and malar region, highly glossed or burnished metallic bronzy 

 green, the back and scapulars more golden bronze, changing to cop- 

 pery bronze in certain lights; greater and primary wing-coverts, alula, 

 remiges, and rectrices dusky greenish bronze or bronze-dusky, the first, 

 together with the tertials, conspicuously edged with golden (varying 

 to coppery) bronze; under parts pure white, the outer portion of sides 

 and flanks streaked or longitudinally clouded with dusky bronze; axil- 

 lary and under wing-coverts dusky, broadly margined with greenish 

 bronze or bronze green; bill black; iris brown; legs and feet dark 

 brownish; length (skin), 115; wing, 110; tail, 55, forked for 11; 

 exposed culmen, 4; tarsus, 9.5; middle toe, 8." 



« One specimen. 



