Young. Sooty b row n , lig h te r o n th e n im p a u d u p p e r ta il-co v e rts ; below a sby white , th e th ro a t dark
brown.
Hab. T h e A nde s o f Bolivia, P e ru , Ecu ad o r, and Colombia.
T h is species appears to have been first described by Père Feuillet, iu a book which we
have not seen, entitled ‘Journal des Observations physiques ’ (p. 33), published in 172.").
From this work Brisson took bis description of the “ Iliroiidelle du Pérou,” which w'as
subsequently the origin of Latham’s “ Ash-coloured Swallow ” and Gmclin’s Rirundo
cinerea.
Fifty years after, the species was described by D’Orbigny and Lafresnaye as Hirundo
andecola, from a specimen procured by ttie former at La Paz in Bolivia. Tschudi next
met with it in Peru, where he says that it inhabits all the hot valleys of the Sierra.
Messrs. Sclater and Salvin have also recorded specimens obtained by Mr. Ilenry Whitely
in Western Peru, viz. at Arequipa in May, and again at Tinta in the same month.
Mr. Jelski obtained it iu Central Peru between Cucas and Palcamayo, and Mr. Stolzmann
at Tainiapampa.
In Ecuador Mr. L. Fraser met with the species near Quito, where it was very
common in and about the city. In May he observed that this Swallow was building
under tlie eaves of houses, aud the nest forwarded by him was, according to Dr. Sclater,
“ a shallow structure, composed of moss and lined with a little wool. The egg is of a
spotless white, 0'72 inch in length by about 0'51 inch in bi*cadth, and has the usual
character of birds of this group.” Tbe late Mr. Clarence Buckley procured specimens
at Sical, and these are now in the Salvin-Godman collection. Messrs. Stolzmann and
Siemiradski have also met with the species in Western Ecuador at Ticsan, at au
altitude of from 7000 to 9000 feet. Count von Berlepsch and Dr. Taczanowski, in
recording the above specimen, state their belief that the description of Hirundo cinerea
of Gmelin is not sufficiently definite to distinguish the species. In this opinion we ai'e
unable to follow them, while the series iu the British Museum shows that there is no
specific différence between hirds from Peru and Ecuador.
The species also inhabits Colombia, as there arc specimens in the Sclater and Salvin-
Godman collections from the vicinity of Bogota.
The descriptions are copied from the British Museum ‘ Catalogue,’ aud tho figure of
the old bird is drawn from a specimen in the Salvin-Godman collection, while that of tlie
young one is taken from a specimen in Mr. W'yatt’s collection.