HIRUNDAPUS. 
Hirundapus (including PalUne), Mearnsia nov. for Chcetura picina Tweeddale, 
Streptoprocne and Choetura, interposing between Streptoprocne and Chcetura 
the genera Nephoecetes and Cypseloides : the latter being lumped as Cypseloides 
by Hartert and ranged as a distinct genus following Chcetura. 
He grouped Hirundapus and Mearnsia as having the tarsus not longer 
than the middle toe and claw, while the others had. Chcetura was characterised 
by having the haUux relatively much smaller than it was in the other genera. 
Such a grouping was little improvement upon that given in the Catalogue 
of the Birds in the British Museum, but obviously there was necessity of 
rearrangement. 
I would divide the whole lot into two groups, large and small species. 
The large species all agree in size generally, in the proportions of wings, tail 
and feet and in coloration. Superficially, however, three divisions can be 
made by means of the tail and these might be considered of little value, were 
it not for the fact that anatomical differences have been observed showing 
that the superficial items are confirmed by internal distinctions. Conse- 
quently these can be regarded as of generic value, a view taken up by the 
American ornithologists, Lucas, Oberholser and Ridgway, and here accepted. 
I have diagnosed the Hirundapus group and note that the birds like zonaris 
Shaw have longer tails, which are emarginate, with the needle-points scarcely 
extending beyond the tips. This is the series named Streptoprocne by 
Oberholser, and admitted as of generic value on account of anatomical details. 
Ridgway synonymised gigantea Temm. with Hirundapus, because he did not 
examine it critically, as superficially its tail shows more character than that of 
the American birds. It is longer, more rounded than that of Hirundapus, 
the feathers narrower and the needle-points are stiff, long continuations of 
the strong quills. The name quoted in the Catalogue of the Birds in the British 
Museum is Pallene Lesson, 1837, but that name was preoccupied. I had 
anticipated proposing a new name, but Richmond in his third list of Generic 
Terms of Birds has drawn attention to Pallenia Bonaparte, 1857. He accepts 
this as a valid name for Pallene Lesson preoccupied, following Gray’s usage 
in 1869. This seems a sound conclusion, and is therefore here recognised. ^ 
This would dispose of the large forms, but the smaller ones form an incongru- 
ous assemblage, study of which leads to the conclusion that the needle-tail is of 
httle systematic value, having independently evolved, and that the birds with 
such tails are not closely related. The first glance shows several colour groups, 
and the value of these becomes evident when it is remembered that in the large 
birds we are confronted with three genera, though the coloration is practically 
the same throughout. Again Cypseloides of Hartert is divided into two genera 
by Ridgway, but the birds are again of very similar coloration, an argument 
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