gin o u s ; c e n tre o f b re a s t a n d ab d om en wliite ; u n d e r ta il-co v c rts a shy b row n washed w ith rufous
d a rk e r b row n be fore th e tip s , wliich a re w liitish , a ll th e fe a th e rs b e in g b ro ad ly edged w ith th é
la t te r c o lo u r ; u n d e r win g -co v e rts and axilla rie s sm o k y b rown, edged with ru fo u s , m o re d is tin c t
n e a r th e edge o f th e w in g ; q u ills d u sk y b row n below, m o re ashy a lo n g th e in n e r web : “ b ill
b l a c k ; fe e t d a rk g r e y ; iris d a rk b ro w n ” (Gosse). T o ta l len g th 4-8 inche s, cu lm eu 0 '3 5 ,
•wing 4-5, ta il 1 '7 5 , ta r su s 0-45.
T h e re a p p e a rs to be n o difference in th e colours o f th e sexes, and th e wiu g ouly va rie s from
4-0 in ch e s to 4 T in ch e s in len g th .
T h e young b ird is a lto g e th e r d u lle r in c o lo u r th a n th e ad u lt, a n d is b row n e r o n th e h e ad , w ith a w h ity .
browu forc lic ad, w ith some c lie s tm it p lum e s inte rm ix ed . T h e in n e r secondaries a re edged with
ru fo u s a t th o tip s , aud th e c h e s tn u t f e a th e rs o f th e lowe r back a n d rum p have asliy w hitish
m a rg in s . Tiie u n d e r su rfa c e o f th e body is lik e th a t o f th e a d u lts , b u t th e rufous o f th e th ro a t
is r a th e r p a le r. W in g 4-0 inches.
H u b . A n tille s , C u b a , J am a ic a , P o i to E ico, and Sau Domingo. Y u c a tan and P an am a in C en tra l
America.
^ lE iL L O T met witli this species himself in San Domingo about the middle of May, and
.states that Mauge also brought tlie same bird from Porto Rico, where it was observed
in spring. Vieillot came to tbe conclusion that it was only a bird of passage in the
above-mentioned islands from the fact of bis observing it only at tlie .same season for
two successive years, and be imagined that tbe species went to tbe north for breeding,
as a similar Swallow settled on tbe ship in which be was travelling about the latitude of
. Halifax, in Nova Scotia, This would be of course P . pyrrhonota, as we know now that
P .fn lv a is strictly confined to a more southern habitat. Vieillot describes this Swallow
as congregating at night aud roosting in tbe bouse in u bicb bo was staying.
Air. Cory states that tbe species “ does not appear to be very abundant in San
Domingo ; only a few flocks were seen aud but two specitneus taken. At Gonaives, on
tbe day of our arrival, several flocks were observed flying about tbe bouses, l)ut the
next day none were to be seen.”
Alaugé, as above recorded by Vieillot, was tbe first naturalist to observe it in Porto
Rico, and Alessrs. Swift and Latimer sent specimens from that island to the Smitb.sonian
Institution.
Professor Baird separated the Jamaican specimens from those of Cuba on account
of the smaller size aud darker chestnut coloration. V'e bave not found these diirerences
pronounced in the specimens in the British Aluseum, and regard tlie birds from both
islands as belonging to one and the same species. Air. Gosse, who described the
Jamaican bird as Ilirundo poeciloma, bas given the following account of its habits :—
“ Tbe Cavo-Swallow does not appear to be in any degree migratory in Janmiea.
being abundantly common at all seasons. It delights in the neighbourliood of caverns
and overhanging rocks, in tbe hollows of 'wliicli it builds its ingenious nest. About a
mile from Blucfields, llie sea uasbes a precipitous rock of uo great height, on tbe summit
of which is an old fort, with some great guns, which tradition ascribes to the old Spanish
settlers, but now dismantled, and within and without overrun with spiny pinguins and
logwood bushes, and tangled with creepers. I bave no doubt that this was the site of
tbe Spanish town Oristana, some remains of tbe houses of which may yet be seen in tbe
provision-ground of a negro peasant adjoining. Tbe foot of tbe cliff is girt with
irregular masses of honey-combed rock, between which tbe incoming tide rolls, and frets,
and boils, in foaming confusion; and the front is hollowed into caves, some of which
are loug passages with an opening at each end, and others are merely wide-mouthed, but
shallow hollows. In one of these I counted forty nests of this species of Swallow, each
consisting of a half-cup, built with little pellets of mud, retaining, in so damp a situation,
and where the rock itself is covered, a slimy mouldiness—their original humidity.
Each was thickly lined with silk-cotton. If we imagine a pint basin divided perpendicularly
through tbe luiddle, and tbe one half stuck against a xvall, we shall perceive
tbe form of these nests ; some, however, were both larger and deeper than this. In
many instances advantage was taken of a slight hollow in the rock, which increased the
capacity. In one (it was about tbe middle of July) I found three eggs; in some others
the callow young, and in one two full-fiedged birds, whicli lay quietly in the nest, side
by side, while their black eyes watched my motions. The parent birds flew about iu
affright, occasionally coming close up to the nests, and hovering as if about to alight,
but scarcely one ventured in. The eggs measure about inch long, and -¿-i- wide; they
are white, studded with dots and spots of dull red; hut in many eggs which I have
examined there is much variation in size, form, and colour. The young birds scarcely
differed from the adult.
“ In Alay, my kind friend Air. Deleon took me into a curious cavern, situated
on the estate called Amity, some few miles from Savannah le Alar, but inland. Through
its dark recesses a subterranean river flows, so still and so perfectly transparent, that
although two or three feet deep, I did not perceive there was a drop of water there, but
took tho atoms floating on its surface to be lodged in invisible spiders’ webs, stretched
across. Numerous Swallows were flying in and out, and the roof was studded with
nests similar to those above described.
“ Though this little Swallow manifests a decided predilection for cavernous recesses,
it does not confine itself to situations so recluse. In that part of the ‘ King’s House,’ at
Spanish Town, which is called the Arcade, where clerks aro writing, and public busines.s
is transacted every day, great mimber.s of those nests arc affixed to the beams and joists,
and the birds are continually flying to and fro. Before the year 1838 they had built
in the Secretary’s office from time immemorial; but it was not in consequence of any
molestation there, that in the Year of Freedom they chose the viceregal abode. Did
they then recognise the administrator of England’s power as the friend of Jamaica ? In
December, January, and February, the birds, though they fly in and out of the august
abode without reserve, as if to maintain their right of way, do not make use of the*
nests ; but all the rest of the year, these mud habitations are occupied. In Alarch tlu»