In mature plumage, a beautiful species. This bird is common throughout the eastern United States, and comes with much punctuality in the spring to take possession of the boxes prepared for its accommodation in the rural districts, and occasionally in the cities. Our esteemed friend, Mr. Thomas Fisher, an eminent mathematician of this city, has been annually visited by a colony of this species for several years, though his residence is in one of the most dense parts of Philadelphia.
This bird is nearly allied to several species of South America and the West Indies. In fact, the genus Progne is one of the most difficult of the family of Swallows.
2. Progne chalybea. (Gmelin.) The Western Martin. Hirundo chalybea. Gm., Syst. Nat. I. p. 1026. (1788.)
Buff, Pl. Enl. 545, fig. 2.
Size smaller than that of the preceding; bill very wide at base, much longer than in the preceding, gradually compressed to the tip, curved; wings reaching about to the end of the tail, which is deeply emarginate; under tail coverts long; legs short. Male, adult? Plumage of the upper parts dusky black, with a dark green lustre; throat and breast ashy white, running into light smoky brown on the sides of the neck, breast, and flanks; abdomen and under tail-coverts pure white, many feathers having dark lines on their shafts; under wing-coverts and axillaries fuliginous brown. Female? Similar to the male, but less lustrous on the upper parts, and with the entire plumage more tinged with fuliginous; under tail-coverts pure white, many feathers with dark shafts; bill and feet dark.
Dimensions. Total length, about 6¾ inches; wing, 5¼; tail, 3 inches. Female slightly smaller.
Hab. Western North America. South America, California, Panama (Mr. Bell).
This species, long known as a bird of South America, was first ascertained to be entitled to a place in the ornithological fauna of the United States by Mr. John G. Bell, of New York, who noticed it in California, and previously at Panama. We have since seen specimens from various parts of California, and suspect that it is abundant in that and probably in other countries of Western America.
Though closely related to other South American species, the present bird may be distinguished very easily from the Purple Martin of the United States (P. purpurea), by the greater width and much greater length of the bill, and it is smaller in size. We are not confident that we have ever seen the perfectly plumaged adults of this bird, though the specimens above described were obtained by Mr. Bell in the spring, and have the general appearance of maturity, except that the lustre of the plumage is but faint. Little or nothing is known of its habits or history.
III. GENUS COTYLE. Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 350.
Bill small, weak, wide at base, compressed to the tip; wing long, pointed, first and second quills longest; secondaries short, truncate, and emarginate; tail moderate, wide, even or slightly emarginate; legs short, slender; toes rather long, slender; colors dull, usually fuliginous brown of various shades; size of American species smaller than those of either of the preceding genera.
This genus contains about twelve species, inhabiting various regions of both continents, and all, so far as known, more or less terrestrial in their habits. In addition to those about to be described, there are three other American species restricted to the southern division of this continent.
1. Cotyle riparia. (Linn.) The Bank Swallow. The Sand Martin. Hirundo riparia. Linn., Syst. Nat. I. p. 344. (1766.) Hirundo cinerea. Vieill., Nouv. Dict. XIV. p. 526.