COLLOCALIA TE«KÆ K E ß lK « .
COLLOCALIA TERRÆ REGINÆ.
Queensland Edible Swift.
Cypselus terroe regince, Ramsay, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 601.
A ustralia has long been known to possess true Swifts, Swallows, and Martin s; but hitherto the genus
Collocalia, o f which numerous species inhabit the surrounding islands, has been conspicuous by its absence.
Specimens o f an Edible Swift were, indeed, procured on Dunk Island by the late Mr. John Macgillivray
during the voyage o f the ‘ R a t t l e s n a k e b u t it was not till two years ago that they became known as
inhabitants o f the continent o f Australia. As might have been expected, the Dunk-Island birds are
identical with the Australian ; and, after careful comparison, I have decided on keeping this new Swiftlet
distinct from Collocalia spodiopygia o f Peale, to which it bears undoubted affinity. The addition of Australia
as a habitat for the genus Collocalia is o f great interest, as its range is decidedly peculiar, extending as it
does over the different islands o f Oceania, Malasia, India, and it even occurs in Mauritius.
Fo r the acquisition of a specimen o f this new Australian bird I am indebted to Mr. Waller, of Brisbane.
In a short note this gentleman s ta te s :— “ This Swallow was collected by Mr. Broadbent on the coast-range
o f Rockingham Bay. F irst seen a t Dalrymple’s Gap, in the morning they appeared to come from the north
and returned again in the evening. Before rain, this bird assembles in large flocks, and skims over the
ground with great rapidity. They were all leaving about the latter p art o f Ju n e.”
The following is Mr. Ramsay’s description, copied from the ‘ Proceedings o f the Zoological Society,’
where the name o f terra regina was first bestowed
“ Whole of the upper surface, except the rump, very dark sooty brown tinged with metallic lustre, being
o f a darker brown on the outer webs and paler on the inner webs of the wing-feathers; across the rump a
greyish-white band having a narrow line o f dark brown down the shaft o f each fea th e r; whole o f the under
surface dull greyish brown, o f a silky texture and somewhat glossy; under surface o f wings and tail and the
under tail-coverts o f a darker tint, the basal half o f all the feathers on the body nearly black; bill black;
feet blackish brown; iris dark brown.
“ Total length from 4 to 4 -2 inches; bill from the nostril O’l , from forehead 0 ’2, from angle o f the
mouth 0*45; wing from flexure 4 ‘4 ; tail 2'1 to -2 '4 ; tarsi 0 ’35.
“ T he sexes are alike in plumage and size. The texture o f the plumage is remarkably soft, and to the
touch resembles the fur of a Bat.
“ This species frequents the north-east coast-ranges near Cardwell, Rockingham Bay, where it is
tolerably plentiful, but very difficult to procure, from its small size and swift flight. Small flocks may be
seen flying to and fro over the clearer parts o f the lower spurs o f the coast-ranges; and frequently the same
troop returns to the same open ground day after d ay ; towards evening others may be found sweeping over
the tops o f the scrubs and about precipitous sides o f the rocky ridges, where they doubtless breed. I found
several young o r immature-plumaged b ird s ; and none amongst those I obtained had the tail fully grown.
I have never seen this species in any other p art o f Australia than near Rockingham Bay. I t was observed
in the neighbourhood of Cardwell during October 1873, and when I left in April 1874 was still numerous
there. F o r the first knowledge o f this and several other new and rare species I am indebted to Inspector
Robert Johnstone, o f the police force on the Herbert river near Cardwell, as well as for much valuable
information on the natural history o f th at interesting region.”
The figures in the accompanying Plate are rather under the size o f life.