II. SUB-FAMILY CYPSELINÆ. THE SWIFTS.
Bill less flattened than in the preceding sub-family, very wide at base, short, curved; wings very long, somewhat falcate, flattened; tail short; legs and toes short, strong; claws strong; general form adapted to very swift and vigorous flight, and the capture of insects on the wing.
I. GENUS CYPSELUS. Illiger, Prodromus, p. 229. (1811.)
APUS. Scopoli. MICROPUS. Wolf.
Bill wide at base, curved; nostrils basal, with large membrane; wings very long; pointed shafts of the primaries strong and rigid; first and second primaries longest; secondaries short; tail moderate, with the shafts of its feathers strong and rigid; legs short, strong; tarsus usually feathered; toes short, strong; claws strong, curved, and sharp; hind toe very short, reversible; general form robust; head broad.
This genus includes about twenty species, which are inhabitants of the countries of the old world, except six American and one Australian species. They are remarkable for great swiftness of flight, and live habitually in the crevices of rocks, in caverns, or in hollow trees. The bird now about to be described is the only species of this genus yet observed within the limits of the United States, the others of this continent being confined to South America.
1. Cypselus melanoleucus. Baird, Proc. Acad., Phila., VII. p. 118. (1854.)
Not figured.
Wings very long, exceeding the tail; second primary longest; first primary tapering towards the end; secondaries short, obliquely incised at their ends; tail moderate, emarginate; shafts of the tail-feathers very stiff at their bases; tarsi and toes feathered, short, and very strong; entire plumage above dark fuliginous, paler on the head, nearly black on the back and rump; throat, breast, wide longitudinal stripe down the middle of the abdomen, and large spot on the flank, pure white; sides and under-coverts of the tail dark fuliginous, which is also the color of the plumage of the tibiæ, tarsi, and toes; wings and tail dark fuliginous; secondaries tipped with white; wings at the shoulders edged with white; under-wing-coverts ashy fuliginous; claws light-colored.
Dimensions. Total length of skin, from tip of bill to end of tail, about 5½ inches; wing, 5½; tail, 2½ inches. Female very nearly the same.
Hab. New Mexico (Dr. Kennerly, Dr. Heermann).
Only noticed, as yet, by the two naturalists just mentioned. This is a handsome bird, and an interesting addition to the ornithology of the United States, being the first species of the genus Cypselus discovered within our limits. According to the gentlemen above mentioned, this bird habitually frequents the crevices in rocks, in which it builds its nest and rears its young. Its flight is represented to be exceedingly rapid and long-continued.
This bird is evidently of the same group of species as Cypselus montivagus, D’Orbigny, Voyage dans L’Amerique Meridionale, Ois., p. 357, pl. 42, fig. 1 (Paris, 1844), which inhabits the mountains of Bolivia. The white stripe down the middle of the abdomen distinguishes the present bird.
II. GENUS ACANTHYLIS. Boie, Isis, 1826, p. 971.
CHÆTURA. Stephens. HIRUNDAPUS. Hodgson.
General characters similar to the last genus, but with the shafts of the tail-feathers prolonged beyond the webs, and forming strong thorn-like points; tarsi and toes naked; bill small, curved, wide at base; wings long; tail usually short; legs short, rather slender; claws curved, strong; general form plump and robust. Of this genus there are about fifteen species, two only of which are known to inhabit the United States, though several are natives of South America. Like the birds of the preceding genus, they possess great rapidity of flight, and live in similar situations.
1. Acanthylis pelasgia. (Linn.) The Chimney Bird. The American Swift. Hirundo pelasgia. Linn., Syst. Nat. I. p. 345. (1766.) Hirundo cerdo. Bartram, Trav., p. 292. (1791.) Barton, Frag., p. 18. “Cypselus acutus. Temm., Mus. Lugd.” Bonap., Consp. Av., p. 64.
Vieill., Ois. d’Am., Sept. 1, pl. 33; Wilson, Am. Orn., V. pl. 39, fig. 1; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 58, Oct. ed., I. pl. 44; Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 27, fig. 58.
Wings very long, extending beyond the tail, flattened, somewhat falcate; shafts of primaries rigid; tail short; exserted spines sharp, elastic; tarsi and toes naked; entire plumage above and below fuliginous brown, darkest on the upper parts, and with a slight greenish lustre on the head and back (in mature specimens), much paler on the throat and neck before; quills dark fuliginous; tail lighter; spot in front of the eye black, a very narrow superciliary line ashy-white; shafts and spines of the tail-feathers black; bill and feet dark.
Dimensions. Total length, male, from tip of bill to end of tail, 4¾ to 5 inches; wing, 5¼; tail, 1¾ inches. Female very nearly the same.
Hab. Throughout North America. Canada (Dr. Hall); Florida (Mr. Williams); Indiana (Dr. Haymond); Indian Territory, Texas, New Mexico, California (Dr. Woodhouse).
The Chimney bird is abundant in all the States on the Atlantic, and, according to Dr. Woodhouse, equally so in Texas. It possesses powers of sustaining protracted and rapid flight, perhaps not equalled by any other bird of North America, though characteristic in some measure of all the birds of this family. In Europe, birds of genera nearly allied to the present have received the name of “Swifts” from this fact.
2. Acanthylis Vauxii. (Townsend.) Vaux’s Swift. Cypselus Vauxii. Towns., Jour. Acad., Philada., VIII. p. 148. (1839.)
Not figured.
Smaller than the preceding, but very similar to it in form and general appearance; wings very long, exceeding the tail, which is short; exserted spines of the tail-feathers sharp, slender, and not so rigid as in the preceding species; tarsi and toes rather slender, naked; plumage above fuliginous brown, lighter on the rump and upper tail-coverts, darker, and tinged with greenish on the head and back; quills dark fuliginous, with a greenish lustre; tail lighter fuliginous; under-parts pale fuliginous, nearly white on the throat, darkest on the abdomen; shafts and spines of the tail-feathers black; bill and feet dark.
Dimensions. Total length of skin, sex unknown, 4¼ inches; wing, 4½; tail, 1½ inches.
Hab. Columbia River, Oregon (Dr. Townsend).
This species, though apparently totally distinct from the common Chimney bird of the United States, has never been noticed since its discovery by Dr. Townsend. It is probably a bird exclusively inhabiting the countries west of the Rocky Mountains. The original specimen brought by Dr. Townsend remains unique in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy.
The name of this species was given in honor of Mr. William S. Vaux, of this city, and is a just compliment to one of the most active and valuable members of the Academy.
B.
OBSCURE AND DOUBTFUL SPECIES OF THIS FAMILY.
1. Hirundo unalaschkensis. Gm., Syst. Nat. I. p. 1025. (1788.) Hirundo aoonalaschkensis. Lath., Ind. Orn., II. p. 577. (1790.)
Originally described by Latham from a specimen in the Leverian Museum, as follows:—
“Length four inches and a half; bill very short, dusky; the plumage above dull black, without gloss; beneath and sides of the head dusky ash color, the last darkest; rump dirty white; tail forked, each feather round at the end; legs dusky. Inhabits Aoonalashka.” Gm., Syn. II. p. 571.
This species is unknown to ornithologists of the present day, and from the above description and the evident similarity of the bird to other small species of this family, would not be recognized without difficulty, unless obtained in the locality as given. It appears to belong to the genus Collocalia, Gray, a very remarkable group of small Swallows, that inhabit caves, and are found in several islands in the Pacific Ocean. A species of this genus is the Esculent Swallow of authors (Collocalia esculenta), the nests of which are so highly esteemed as an article of food by the Chinese, and are the principal constituent in the somewhat celebrated “Bird’s-nest soup,” a prominent feature in Chinese entertainments. It is probable, too, that the nests of other species of these birds are used for the same purpose.
No species of the genus alluded to has been discovered on the continent of America, nor in either of the American islands, except the above.
2. Hirundo phenicephala. Rafinesque, Annals of Nature, p. 4. (Lexington, Kentucky, 1820.)
“Head scarlet; back grey; belly white; bill and feet black. A fine and rare Swallow, seen only once by Mr. Audubon, near Hendersonville, in Kentucky; it must have been a wanderer, and is probably a native of Louisiana or Mexico.”
“Head scarlet”—enough said; Professor Rafinesque brings our ornithological ideas to a stand immediately. We never heard of a Swallow with the head of that color, exactly. But as Mr. Audubon’s name is brought in as authority, we think it possible that the bird alluded to in this description may have been a straggling specimen of a South American species, which has the head of a rufous color (Cortyle fucata, Temm., Pl. Col. 161, fig. 1). Rafinesque apparently gave his description and name without ever having seen the bird, or made further inquiry, and probably misunderstood or partly forgot the statement of Mr. Audubon respecting the color of the head.
Several instances of South American birds having been captured in the United States have come to our knowledge. We ought to have said, though, previously, that many more South American birds inhabit Mexico than are recorded in the books. Several specimens of Crotophaga sulcirostra have come under our notice, the last one of which was shot on an island in the Delaware, opposite to the northern portion of this city. Its plumage was perfectly mature and uninjured, showing evidently that it had never been caged.
3. Acanthylis saxatilis. Woodhouse, Sitgreave’s Report of an Expedition down the Zuni and Colorado Rivers, Zoology, p. 64 (Washington, 1853).
“Head and rump white; back, tail, wings, and side, black; beneath white; upper tail-coverts black; under tail-coverts white. About the size of A. pelasgia, and in its mode of flight the same.”
“This beautiful Swift I saw whilst encamped at Inscription Rock, New Mexico. Being on the top of this high rock at the time without my gun, I was unable to procure specimens. I had a fair view of the birds at this time, as they flew close to me. I descended immediately and procured my gun, but the birds by this time flew too high for me to be able to procure a shot at them. They were breeding in the crevices of the rocks. I was still in hopes of seeing them again along our route, but I had not that pleasure, it being the only place that I have observed them.”
This bird has not been noticed since the publication of the above description by Dr. Woodhouse.
4. Hirundo cinerea. “The Ash-bellied Swallow.” Ord, in Guthrie’s Geography, II. p. 317. (1815.)
This name occurs, without a description, in Mr. Ord’s Catalogue of the Birds of North America, in Guthrie’s Geography, as above.
Hirundo cinerea, Gmelin, is a native of Tahiti and of the Marquesas Islands, but has not to our knowledge ever been detected on the continent of North America. It belongs to the genus Collocalia, Gray. The Bank Swallow (Cotyle riparia) also was named Hirundo cinerea by Vieillot, but is given in Mr. Ord’s list as distinct from the present.
5. Hirundo rupestris. “The Rock Swallow.” Ord, in Guthrie’s Geog., II. p. 317. (1815.)
This name also occurs in Mr. Ord’s Catalogue, cited above. Hirundo rupestris, Scopoli, inhabits Europe and Asia, but we have never been informed of its appearance in America. It is a Cotyle.
We have now given all the species of Swallows known or supposed to inhabit the continent of America, north of Mexico.
As stated in a preceding page, Swallows are found in all countries except the Arctic regions, and are, so far as known to naturalists, birds of very considerable similarity of habits and of general characters. The various groups usually regarded as sub-families and genera are perhaps as easily distinguished in this family as in any other of the entire class of Birds, and it is one in which it is remarkable that almost every country produces species which belong to the genus (Hirundo) which is the type and apparently primary form of the family, besides forms peculiarly its own.
The types of great groups apparently more pre-eminently characterize the ornithology of Europe than that of any other division of the globe. In other words, Europe appears to produce the greatest number of species of birds exhibiting the fullest development of the especial characters of the groups to which they belong. It is very remarkable, too, that species are found almost throughout the world slightly aberrating, as it were, from European forms, or as though a typical form was produced with a greater or less degree of imperfection. Of this description of birds, the various species nearly allied to the House Swallow of Europe (Hirundo rustica), are a striking illustration. The American Hirundo rufa, and several Asiatic and African species, are only distinguished from that bird by characters of inferior value in specific identification. Australia, too, produces species, which, though apparently farther removed, are still similar. There are many other European birds which appear to occupy the same relative positions. The Goatsucker, Raven, Crow, Jay, and Peregrine Falcon, are instances. Of the European Conisostral birds, nearly every species has nearly allied forms in other regions.
In connection, however, with this subject, there are two considerations by no means to be lost sight of: Firstly, the extent to which the entire science of ornithology may be regarded as having been derived from European birds; those having been studied, and ornithological science being in some measure an induction from them by the fathers and founders of this branch of Zoology. Secondly, whether in reality the production of the higher developments in birds is not peculiar to the western portions of the two great hemispheres, at least in the northern regions of these divisions of the globe. We regard it as evidently the case in the Old World, and not less so in America. That the ornithology of western North America produces the highest developments of forms in this class of animals that are to be found on this continent, we think fully demonstrable. But at present we regard it as true that Europe produces marked ornithological types of divisions strictly natural.
There are about one hundred known species of Swallows, of which eighty-five are in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy. The South American birds of this family, for the greater part, belong to genera represented in North America. Of the genus Progne there are several species peculiar to that portion of this continent, several of which possess habits and manners very similar to those of the Purple Martin. The same may be said of several species of Acanthylis, two or three of which considerably resemble our Chimney Bird. Of the Bank Swallows (Cotyle), there are also several South American species.