226 HIETINDBSriD^. 



As in Progne, the nostrils open upwards without any overhanging membrane ; but 

 the size and general coloration of the species is very diiFerent from that of the members 

 of Progne. The feathers of the forehead are erect and bristlmg, instead of lying flat 

 as in Progne; and the commissure of the maxilla is in a simple curve, and not 

 sinuated. The tarsi, except just the proximal end, are bare, and the rump rufous. 



1. Petrochelidon pyrrhonota. 



Hirundo pyrrhonota, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. N. xiv. p. 519 '. 



Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, Scl. & Salv. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 14 ^ 



Hirundo americana, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 1017 ° ? 



Petrochelidon americana. Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 47"; Pelz. Orn. Bras. p. 17'. 



Hirundo lunifrons, Say, in Long's Exp. ii. p. 47 ' ; Dresser, Ibis, 1865, p. 479 '. 



Petrochelidon lunifrons, Scl. Oat. Am. B. p. 40' ; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. vii. p. 317 ' ; Baird, Rev. 



Am. B. i. p. 288" ; Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 271 "; Baird, Brew. & Ridgw. N. 



Am. B. i. p. 334 '" j Coues, B. Col. Vail. i. p. 426 '\ 



Supra chalybeo-CEerulea, alia et cauda nigricantibus ; plumis dorsi medii albo marginatis, fronte laoteseenti-alba, 

 nucba fusca, uropygio rufo ; capitis lateribus cum gutture nifis, mento et plaga pectorali nigris ; corpore 

 subtus reliquo albo, peotore, liypocliondriis et crisso paUide fuscis ; rostro nigro, pedibus corylinie. Long, 

 tota 5-3, alee 4-15, caudse 1-95, rostri a rictu 0-55, tarsi 0-5. (Deser. loaris ex ■Washington, U. S. Mus. 

 nostr.) 

 5 mari omnino similis. 



Eab. NoETH Ameeica generally i^, Texas''. — Mexico {Be Saussure% Mazatlan and 

 Tepic {Grayson'^^); Panama (M'Leannan^ ^°), at sea, off west coast of Central 

 America (/, M. Dow ^^). — Beazil ^ ; Paeaguat \ 



Dr. Coues ^^ has given an excellent account of the early history of this bird in North 

 America, tracing it from thefirst notice of the species in the paper published by J.R. Forster 

 in the 'Philosophical Transactions' of 1772, to the time it was named Hirundo lunifrons 

 by Say in 1 82 3. When compiling their 'Nomenclator Avium Neotropicalium,' Sclater and 

 Salvin were unable to separate the South- American bird of this genus from that found in 

 North America, and, rejecting Gmelin's title H. americana as of too uncertain application, 

 decided to adopt that of Vieillot, H. pyrrhonota, as next in date ^- On reexamining the 

 question, we believe this view to be sound ; we therefore use the name Petrochelidon 

 pyrrhonota as the common title of this North- and South- American species. It further 

 seems reasonable to suppose that the southern birds are only in Brazil and Paraguay 

 in the winter months, and migrate from one continent to the other according to 

 the season. This supposition is borne out by the fact that the ten specimens 

 obtained by Natterer in various parts of Brazil were all shot in the months 

 ranging from September to March 5. Vieillot's description was based upon that of 

 Azara, who obtained a single specimen of this Swallow in Paraguay, which he bought 

 in the month of April, and never met with another. 



