236 HIETJNDINID^. 



Supra seneo-viresoeus ; regione prseoculari nigra et supra earn linea parva utrinque alba, uropygio albo-fusco 

 leviter striato ; alis et cauda nigricantibus, secundariis in pogonio externo albo anguste marginatis ; subtus 

 omnino albus, abdomine vLs faseo leviter striato, rostro et pedibus nigris. Long, tota 4-5, alffi 3-8, caudae 

 rectr. med. 1'5, rectr. lat. 1-7, rostri a riotu 0-6, tarsi 0-4. (Descr. maris ex Belize, Brit. Honduras. 

 Mus. nostr.) 



Hob. Mexico, Mazatlan {Grayson^ ^, Boucard); Beitish Honduras, Belize river, 

 Cays of the coast {0. S. & F. B. G.); Guatemala, Peten, Yaxha, Eio Dulce, 

 Huamuchal, Chiapam, San Jose de Guatemala^ {0. 8. & F.B. G.) ; Salvador, La 

 Union {0. S.}; Honduras, Amapala (0. S.); Nicaragua, Corinto {Baxter); Costa 

 EicA {Zeledon ^) ; Panama, {M'Leaman 1246)^ Matachin (0. S.) 



Tachydneta albilinea was described from Panama specimens by Mr. Lawrence 1, and 

 a few weeks afterwards as Petrochelidon littorea by Salvin, from specimens obtained 

 during our expedition of 1861-63 ''. It has since been found to be abundant on both 

 coasts of Central America '', and also of Mexico from Mazatlan and Vera Cruz south- 

 wards. 



As will be seen above, it has been met with at nearly every port of Central America 

 on the Pacific coast. In Guatemala and British Honduras, besides observing it on the 

 coast, we found it not uncoihmon frequenting the inland freshwater lakes of Peten and 

 Yaxha, and all down the Belize river. 



At Matachin on the Chagres river a nest with young was found in May 1873, in an 

 old post, a hollow palm which had once served to support the roof of a hut. 



At Mazatlan, the most northern recorded limit of its range, Grayson says ^ it is 

 common and resident, being one of the few non-migratory Swallows. At all seasons 

 of the year its twitter may be heard about the eaves of the tiled houses or the spacious 

 corridors of the peculiarly constructed Moorish Mexican haciendas. He often saw it 

 skimming along the streets, at times almost touching the pavement in its pursuit of 

 flies. Its customary haunts, he says, are near or about large towns or haciendas, and 

 he rarely saw it far from some human habitation. In April it commences to form its 

 nest, usually beneath the eaves of houses or in holes in the wall, often in the hollow 

 tubes for conveying the water from the flat roofs of the buildings. This Swallow, he 

 adds, is very sociable in its habits, and may often be seen in considerable numbers 

 perched upon the roofs of the houses. 



This account .of the habits of T. albilinea hardly agrees with our experience. We 

 only found them along river-courses or frequenting lagoons or lakes, a favourite perch 

 being the dead bough of a snag projecting out of a river. Such places would often 

 be far from any village ; and though these birds were sometimes observed by us near 

 habitations, they did not seem to be the attraction, but some river flowing hard by. 



T. albilinea is probably a resident species wherever it is found. 



Its nearest ally is T. leucorrhous of Peru, Southern Brazil, and the Argentine Republic. 



