l62 BROOKLYN INSTITUTE MUSEUM. SCIENCE HUELETIN 2. 6. 
hea. Iridoprocne albiventer, Diplochelidon mclanolcuca and perhaps other 
species, arriving at or above one of the nearby islands of green tree tops, 
where already there seemed to be tens of thousands of birds wheeHng 
and circling about. The great masses of winged bits of life seemed 
to be influenced by a single mind, rolling like a wind driven storm 
cloud, first to one end of the island and then to the other. Now rising 
high in the air, the next moment dropping almost into the tree-tops, 
then rising and circling again, the moving mass would resolve itself 
into a living cone descending rapidly point downward with a roar 
like a whirlwind. During this movement thousands appeared to 
drop into the tree-tops, then all orderly formation would be lost and 
the remaining multitudes returned to the rolling circling mass that 
marshalled its forces for another plunge toward the tree-tops. Dark- 
ness and the black angry clouds of the coming storm hid the last acts 
of the bird drama and we crept beneath the carosa^ of our dugout canoe, 
where protected from the storm we were soon lulled to sleep by the 
rocking of the boat. 
Atticora f.\sci.\t.\ (Gmelinj. 
Hiniitdo fasciata Gmelin Syst. Nat. I. 1788. p. 1022 (Cayenne). 
Atticora fasciata Berlepsch & Hartert, p. 15. 
This species was not collected on the Orinoco proper, but 
examples were sent from the Caura River district to the Tring 
Museum by Klages (Berlepsch and Hartert); and in the American 
Museum collection are examples, also collected by Klages, from the 
Mato River (at its entrance into the Caura), taken in January. 
Iridoprocne -xlbiventer (Boddaert). 
Hirundo albiventer Bodd., Tab. PI. Enl. 1783. p. 32. 
Tachycineta albiventer Berlepsch & Hartert, p. 14. 
Common along the river, frequenting the localities where there is 
little current, these birds may be seen sailing tirelessly back and 
forth close over the surface of the water. 
I found this species breeding at Altagracia in February, 1898. 
Nests were placed over the water in the hollow trunks and branches 
iThe roof or cover of the roofed-over part of a river canoe, in form like that of the canvas top of a 
covered wagon, usually consists of a light frame of bent poles having the two ends securely tied to the oppo- 
site edges of the canoe, the hoops being held in position above by other light poles bound on lengthwise of 
the canoe; this frame work is then thatched commonly with leaves of some species of palm. 
