234 HIEUNDINID^. 



Supra virescens,purpureo pracipue ad nucham tinctus, tectrioibus caudse superioribus quoque purpureis, aHs et 

 Cauda viridescenti-nigris, maruni secundariis intimis interdum albo terminatis ; loris nigris, capitis lateribus 

 infra et post oculoB et corpore subtus omnino albis ; uropygii lateribus albis; rostro nigro, pedibus fuscis. 

 Long, tota 4-7, alse 4-5, caud» rectr. med. 1-55, rectr. lat. 1-85, rostri a rictu 0-5, tarsi 0-4. (Descr. 

 maris ex San Geronimo, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



Hob. NoKTH Ameeica, Middle and Western Provinces, Arizona and New Mexico ^.— 

 Mexico, Saltillo {Couch ^% Tableland, Eeal del Monte (Morgan^), valley of 

 Mexico {White ^), Hacienda de T\npatem {Bug^s'^}, Plateau, temperate and hot 

 regions of Vera Cruz {Sumichrast «), Orizaba {le Strange, Sumichrast^) ; Guate- 

 mala, Delias {0. S.^), San Geronimo {0. S. & F. D. Q.), Coban {Sarg). 



This pretty Swallovp enjoys the privilege of having only the single specific name 

 bestovped upon it by Swainson in 1827, vs^hen he described Mexican specimens obtained 

 on the tablelands and at Eeal del Monte by Mr. Morgan i. Since then Tachycineta 

 thalassinus has been found in the middle and western provinces of the United States 

 and in the adjoining provinces from British Columbia southwards. 



In Mexico this species we believe to be only known as a winter visitant *, there 

 being no positive evidence that it remains during the summer months for the purpose 

 of breeding. It is almost certain, however, that the bird wiU be found to breed on the 

 confines of the United States frontier, as it is well known to do so in Arizona ^. In 

 Guatemala we only observed it in the winter months, from November till March ; it 

 was then common about the open lands near Duenas, and about the plains of San 

 Geronimo, at an elevation of about 3000 feet. We noticed nothing peculiar in their 

 flight ; they were generally found associated with T. bicolor, hawking insects in the 

 same flock. Southwards of Guatemala it has not yet been noticed, nor yet in any of 

 the Antilles. 



T. thalassinus makes its nest of sticks and straws, lined with feathers, either in the 

 hole of a tree or in the cleft of a rock. The eggs, five in number, are pure white ^. 



b. Ptilosis densa, dorso colore metallico tincto. (Iridoprocne.) 



2. Tachycineta bicolor. 



Hirundo bicolor, Vieill. Ois. Am. Sept. i. p. 61, t. 31 ^ ; Baird, U.S. Bound. Surv. ii. Birds, p. 11 ^; 



Rev. Am. B, i. p. 297 ' ; Jones, Nat. Berm. p. 34 * j Baird, Brew. & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. 



p. 344 '. 

 Petrochelidon bicolor, ScL P. Z. S. 1857, p. 201 ° ; 1859, p. 364' ; Sol. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 13 ^ 

 Tachycineta bicolor, Sumiclirast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 547"; Lawr. Mem. Bost. See. N. H. 



ii.-p. 271 " ; Coues, B. Col. Vail, i, p. 413 " ; Gundl. Orn. Cub. p. 83 ' 

 Hirundo prasina, Licht. Preis-Verz. mex. Vog. p. 2, of. J. f. Orn. 1863, p. 58' 



I 12 



* In the ' History of Nortb- American Birds ' it is said to breed on the plateau of Mexico, on Prof. Sumi- 

 chrast's authority ' ; this author, however, in his published work °, makes no such statement; but, by including 

 it amongst the resident birds of the State of Vera Cruz, he leaves us to infer that it does do so. 



