222 HIEUNDINIDiE. 



Hob. Costa Eica, San Francisco ^, Irazu {Rogers), Navarro ^ ^, and Rancho Eedondo ^ 

 {Boucard). 



The first specimen of this singular bird was sent us by Mr. H. Rogers in 1877, 

 who was then in our employ collecting specimens in Costa Rica. We subsequently 

 received others from the same source. In the meantime M. Boucard during his 

 visit to Costa Rica obtained several examples at Navarro and Rancho Redondo, two 

 of which were figured by Keulemans for Mr. Rowley, and published in the second 

 volume of his ' Ornithological Miscellany ' ^. M. Boucard says that his specimens were 

 obtained in semitropical forests below the region of oaks, at an elevation of about 

 4000 feet ^. He further states that the birds go in pairs along the courses of the 

 streams. 



Section II. OSCINES LATIROSTRES. 



Fam. HIRUNDINID^*. 



PROGNE. 



Progne, Bole, Isis, 1826, p. 971 (type Hirundo purpurea, L.) ; Baird, Rev. Am. B. i. p. 271. 



We are unable to recognize more than four species of this genus, though several 

 others have been described or indicated by Prof. Baird, who, when examining the 

 American Swallows for his ' Review of American Birds,' carried the subdivision of this 

 genus to extreme limits. After closely comparing a large series of specimens from all 

 parts of America, and making the necessary allowance for differences of age, season, 

 and individuality, the four species we acknowledge are : — P. purpurea of North America 

 and a large portion of South America, in both of which continents it breeds ; P. domi- 

 nicensis, which is peculiar to the Antilles, being found in all the larger islands and some 

 of the Windward Islands f; P. chalylea, a resident species throughout Tropical America 

 from Southern Mexico to Paraguay ; and P. tapera, which has also a wide range in 

 Tropical America, but which does not enter into our fauna. The two species which 

 concern us are P. chalylea, which is by far the commoner and more widely distributed, 

 and P. purpurea, which occurs in Mexico and British Honduras. 



Progne may easily be recognized from all other American Hirundinidse by its large 

 size and robust build. The commissure of the mandible is sinuated; the nostrils open 

 upwards and are nearly circular, the edges being rounded without any overhanging 

 membrane. The legs are stout, the tarsus equal to the middle toe without the claw ; 



» The arrangement of the Hinindinidse we follow here is that of Prof. Baird, who carefuUy investigated the 

 American genera when compiling his ' Keview of American Birds.' The Hirundinidse form a more homogeneous 

 family than many others of the Oscines; and, at least so far as America is concerned, there are no genera 

 leading to other families, as we so frequently find to be the case. 



t Lawr. Proe. U.S. Nat. Mus. i. p. 484. 



