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Show 1870.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON ETHIOPIAN HIRUNDINIDEE. 289 dusky, the outer edge of the external primary not serrated*, and the tail less forked. Hab. Cape Colony (Layard, Surtees) ; Swellendam (Cairncross) ; Knysna (Andersson); Natal (Ayres); Gold Coast, Sacconde' (Pel, Mus. Lugd.) ; Ashantee (Mus. Brit.). As the typical specimens of the present species came from Natal, I have thought it best to describe a bird from that locality; and I have therefore taken my description from a fine male, collected by Mr. Ayres in Natal, and kindly lent to me by the Rev. H. B. Tristram. There are also specimens from Natal in the British Museum, and Mr. Gray is inclined to keep them distinct from the Cape-Colony specimens; but I cannot agree to separate them, as the only difference is the slightly brighter plumage of the Natal bird. This I take to be a seasonal distinction ; for the adult specimen from the Gold Coast in the Leyden Museum is equally brightly glossed. Although this Swallow is apparently a migrant, the exact range of its migration is not yet quite satisfactorily defined. Mr. Cairncross, who has contributed some interesting notes to Mr. Layard's * Birds of South Africa,' states in that work that, although met with in the neighbourhood of Swellendam, it does not appear to breed there. Mr. Layard himself observed the bird in the Knysna district " apparently breeding in holes in the banks, but he was unable to investigate its doings more closely." Specimens of Psalidoprocne obscura (Temm.), which species is nothing but the young of the present species, are in the British and Leyden Museums. I have examined the type of Temminck's Atticora obscura in the latter collection, and am satisfied about this identification. The original specimen was collected by Pel along with fully adult birds of Ps. holomelcena on the Gold Coast. I may mention that Mr. G. R. Gray also agrees with m e in considering the Atticora obscura of Hartlaub to be only the young of Psalidoprocne holomelcena ; nor will this conclusion, I believe, be called in question by any one who examines the birds in the British Museum. I subjoin the measurements of the West-African specimens above mentioned, in juxtaposition with a large series in m y own collection from Southern Africa. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.' 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Sex. "s 6* 6" $ 3 $ $ $ $ ? 2 ? Locality. Rio Boutry.. Sacconde Elmina .... Caffraria.... Ashantee.... Natal S. Africa.... • • Jl • • • • Knysna .... .... ,, .... ,, .... ,, .... )» .... Authority. Pel Nagtlas .... Wahlberg .. Mus. Brit. .. Layard .... ,, .... Surtees .... Andersson .. >) JJ JJ • ' JJ * * JJ ' * Long. tot. 50 6*4 4-0 5-8 44 5-4 6-0 6-1 6-3 5-8 5*8 5-5 5-3 5-1 5-5 Al. 3-6 3-7 3-5 41 3-4 4*1 4*3 4*3 4-4 4-35 4-3 4-35 3*8 4-0 3-8 Caud. .... .... .... 2-3 3-0 3-25 3-3 3*6 3*6 3*3 3-25 2-7 2-4 2*G Remarks. ^ Types of Ps. obscura (Temm.). * In the genus Stelgidopteryx also the female differs from the male in not having the outer primary serrated. |
