230 HIEUNDDSriD^. 



Supra chalybeo-cyanea, capitis lateribus, teetricibus alarum minoribus orisso et pectoris lateribus concoloribus ; 

 subtus alba, alls et cauda nigrioantibus ; rostro nigro, pedibus corylinis. Long, tota 4-5, alse 3-7, caudae 

 rectr. med. 1"5, rectr. lat. 2-1, rostri a rietu 0-45, tarsi 0"45. (Desor. exempl. ex Costa Rica. Mus. 

 nostr.) 



Hah. Costa Eica*^^, San Jose {Hoffmann^, CarmioU '^^), Barranca (Carmiol "^ ^^) ; 

 Panama, Calovevora (Arce ^). — South America generally to Bolivia ", Paraguay ^ 

 and the Argentine Eepublic 2 s 6 9 io_ 



Vieillot first described this Swallow, using for his basis Azara's " Golondrina de los 

 timoneles negros " from Paraguay. We possess specimens from the adjoining provinces 

 of the Argentine Eepublic, which doubtless represent the bird of Paraguay ; and these 

 do not diifer in any important respect from our Costa-Eica examples, nor from many 

 others from intermediate localities, the bird being spread over the whole of Tropical 

 America. Prof. Baird, it is true, separated more northern individuals from those of 

 Brazil and the basin of the La Plata ; but the differences are very slight indeed. 



Atticora cyanoleuca seems to be a common bird wherever it is found. It probably 

 breeds in Costa Eica ; but the only evidence we have on this point is the skins of young 

 birds from that country in their first plumage. In Colombia ^^ and Brazil it certainly 

 breeds 2, laying white eggs. Of its nesting-habits in the Argentine Eepublic Mr. W. 

 H. Hudson has given us an account*. It appears there in September, and uses forsaken 

 holes and burrows for its nesting-place. 



2. Atticora pileata. (Tab. XV. fig. 2.) 



Atticora pileata, Gould, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 355 ' ; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 13 '; Baird, Rev. Am. 

 B. i. p. 307'. 



Supra obscure brunnea, uropygio paulo saturatiore, pileo et capitis lateribus nigris pupureo tittctis, alis et cauda 

 fusoo-nigris ; subtus alba, gutturis plumis singulis fuscis albo marginatis, hypochondriis fuscis ; crisso 

 nigro ; rostro nigro, pedibus obscure corylinis. Long, tota 4-5, alse 3-6, caudse rectr. med. 1-35, rectr. 

 lat. 2-0, rostri a rietu 0-45, tarsi 0-45. (Desor. maris ex Coban, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



5 mari omnino similis. 



Hob. Guatemala {SMnner^% Coban (0. S. cS: F. B. G.^), Quiche, Totonicapam, 

 Quezaltenango, Barranco de Los Chocoyos, Calderas, ridge above Barsinas, "Villa 

 Lobos, Aceytuno {0. S. & F. B. G.). 



An interesting and peculiar species, only found, so far as we yet know, in the higher 

 parts of Guatemala, whence specimens were sent by the late G. U. Skinner to Gould 

 who described them in 1858. Our first 'intimate acquaintance with this Swallow was 

 in February 1862, when staying at Coban, where it was a common species, frequenting 

 the great church of the town ; and our specimens were secured as they flew round 

 over the courtyard of the house where we were staying, and which was close to the 

 church. Having thus become familiar with the bird, we frequently observed it 

 subsequently in the higher lands of the main Cordillera. Thus it was common at 

 several points on the road from the city of Guatemala to Antigua, and we also observed 



* P. Z. S. 1872, p. 844. 



