[ 2 79 ] 



The ftrong characleriftic mark of this bird, is the 

 outermoft feathers of the tail, which able naturalifts 

 defcribe as three fourths of an inch longer than the 

 reft *. Monf. Adanfon, however, compares their 

 length, not with the other feathers of the tail, but 

 with the length of the bird's body, which is by no 

 means the natural or proper ftandard of com- 

 panion. 



The reafon of my taking notice of thefe more 

 minute inaccuracies in Monf. Adanfon's account of 

 birds, arifes from Mr. Collinfon's relying upon his 

 obfervations with regard to fwallows being fo abfo- 

 lutely decifive, becaufe he is reprefented to be lb able 

 a naturalift. 



I fhall now flate (very minutely) under what 

 circumftances thefe fwallows were caught, and what 

 feems to be the true inference from his own ac^- 

 count. 



He informs us, that four fwallows fettled upon the. 

 f"hip, not 50 leagues from. the coaft of Senegal, on the 

 6th of October j that thefe birds were taken, and 

 that he knew them to be the true fwallovv of Europe-}-, 

 which he fuppofes were then returning to the coaft 

 of Africa. 



I fhalf now endeavour to (liew that thefe birds 

 could not be European fwallows - 3 nor, if they were, 

 could they have been on their return from Europe 

 to Africa. 



* Willoughby, p. 131. Br. Zool. Vol. IL in append. 



f I have before endeavoured to (hew that Monf. Adanfon does 

 not always reco!le£l with accuracy the plumage of the moft 

 common European birds, by what he fays with regard to the 

 linnet,,. 



The 



