Long. tot. 4¾ unc.; alæ, 4¾; caudæ, 2; tarsi, ½.
Upper surface, with a greenish blue metallic gloss; which can faintly be perceived on the primaries and on the tail feathers. The short feathers over each nostril white, thus forming two small white marks; those over the ridge of bill pale brown, giving together the appearance of a narrow white band over the upper mandible. Entire under surface and lining of wings pure white. Tarsi rather darker than in H. leucopygia.
Very slightly larger than H. leucopygia; upper mandible rather broader.
| Inches. | |
|---|---|
| Total length | 4¾ |
| Wings | 4¾ |
| Tail | 2 |
| Tarsi | ½ |
Habitat, Monte Video, (November).
Mr. Gould says, “this species is closely allied both to the common martin, and to the last species; from the former bird, however, its bare legs at once distinguish it, while it differs from the latter in being rather larger in size, in having an obscure white mark on the forehead, at the base of the bill, and in having the metallic lustre of the upper surface deep steel green, instead of purple, which is the prevailing colour of both Hirundo leucopygia and H. urbica.”
It is abundant on the northern bank of the Plata, and more common than the H. purpurea, which frequents the same localities. It probably replaces on the eastern side of the continent, the H. leucopygia of Chile.
3. Hirundo cyanoleuca. Vieill.
It is nearly allied to the two latter species, but is readily distinguished from them by the absence of the white rump. I procured specimens in September, both from Valparaiso, and from Bahia Blanca (North Patagonia). At the latter place it built in holes in the same bank of earth with P. purpurea.