PETROCHELIDON TIMORIENSIS.
TIAIOR CLIFF-SW/VLLOW.
Himndo nigricans (nec Vieill.), 'Wallace, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 485.
Petrochelidon timoriensis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. AIus. x. p. 192 (1884).
P. s im ilis P . nigricanti, sed m in o r, u ro p y g io e t c o rp o re s u b tù s fum o so lav a tis .
Hab. in in su lis M o lu c c au is ‘ T im o r ’ e t ‘ F lo re s ’ d ic tis.
A d u lt male. S im ila r to P . n igricans, b u t ve ry m u ch sm a lle r in size, a n d d istin g u ish ed by tlie d a rk smoky-
b row n c o lo u r o f th e rum p , th e smoky c o lo u r o f th e u n d e rp a r ts , a n d th e g r e a te r e x te n t o f th o
sh a ft-s trip in g , which is very d is tin c t a n d co n tin u e s ov e r th e tliro a t, b re a s t, a n d e n tir e sides o f th e
b ody. T o ta l le n g th 4-5 inche s, culmen 0-3, win g 3 '6 5 , ta il 1‘6 5 , ta r s u s 0 ‘4.
I n th e o th e r two examples in th e B r itis h Aluseum th e wiu g m e a su re s 3 '6 a n d 3*75 iuches
respectively.
Hab. I s la n d o f T im o r, a n d p ro b ab ly Flore s.
T h e characters above given sufficiently describe the difference between the Timor Cliff-
Swallow and its congener from Australia. They scarcely amount to specific distinctions,
and are perhaps characteristic of an island race only. Three specimens are in the
British Aluseum, from Air. AVallace’s collection, all liaving been obtained by that
naturalist in the island of Timor. Air. Wallace likewise records it as occurring in
Plores; but we have never seen a specimen from the last-mentioned island, nor was there
one in Air. AVallacc’s collection when it passed into tho hands of the Aluseum. It is
quite possible, however, that he saw this Swallow ilying about in the island of Plores,
in which case the species would no doubt be the same as that from Timor.
Tlie description is copied from ihe pages of the British Aluseum ‘ Catalogue.’