a distinct species, and his decision has been amply confirmed by tho recent researches of
Professor Nation, to whom the rediscovery of Peale’s neglected species is due.
After remaining for nearly forty years in comparative obscurity, aud being represented
by tbe single type specimen in America, Prof. Nation forwarded specimens to Dr. Sclater
and to the British Museum, from tbe vicinity of Lima, and communicated the interesting
notice of tbe bird’s habits which we transcribe below. As far as is known at present,
this Swallow does not appear to occur anywhere but iu Peru, and even there its range
appears to be limited, as will be seen by the following notes of Prof. Nation;—
“ Some twenty years ago au American engineer, engaged by the Peruvian Government
to survey the Andean valleys and coasts of Peru for railway routes, showed me a
letter from his friend the late Air. John Cassin, requesting him to examine carefully the
rocks and cliffs for a Swallow’s nest. He informed me that be had searched for it for
two or three years without success. Alany years after, when the subject of Air. Cassin’s
letter liud almost escaped my memory, being in tbe National Library of Lima, looking
over some books which had just arrived, I found the two volumes of Birds of the U.S.
Exploring Expedition, and saw the description of the Swallows obtained by Pcalc, near
Callao, in, I think, 1835, and named by him Hirundo ruficollis. With this information
1 recommenced my search for it.
“ One would naturally suppose that if a Crag-AIartin had been found iu Western
Peru, its brecding-place would be fouud in one of the Andean valleys, where everything
necessary for its economy abounds. Such at least was my impression, aud from this
error I lost many years in searching for it in places which it rarely or perhaps never
visits. At length, in 1877, tired and fatigued by a long ramble over tbe hot sandy hills
of the neighbourhood of Lima, I came to some old ruins of a brick- or lime-works, so
old that the ditches that had once supplied it with water had in many places disappeared
; it must have been abandoned for a quarter of a century at least. Here, while
sitting down inside the old kiln, I observed a bit of earth adhering to the wall; on
removing it, aud blowing away carefully the loose particles of dust, 1 saw that it was
composed of pellets, and that these pellets could not have been formed by any insect. 1
felt convinced tbat I bad discovered tlie object of so many fatiguing journeys. Every
rock, wall, and building near the ruins was carefully examined by me, and in the course
of the day, about twelve miles from the city, I fell iu with a large colony of Cliff'-
Sw’allows.
“ Ou the following day I returned with a man and a ladder. The house which this
bird bad selected for its brecding-place was a little Gothic building, used for a lolegrapb-
and railway-station, so near the line tbat 1 observed that the nests were surrounded by
tbe smoke of the engine. The man in charge of tbe station informed me that the
building had been scarcely finished before it was taken possession of by the colony. In
the neighbourhood there was a large sugar-plantatiou, with many buildings, oi which
the I’ools and walls had been taken possession of by Atticora cyanoleuca, but not a nest
of tbe Cliff-Swallow could be seen ou them. On examining the nests, I fouud them in
every stage of construction, from tbe first circular row of wet pellets to tbe perfect nest
inhabited by a family of young birds nearly fledged. On the outside (for the roofs
inside bad been taken possession of also) I counted 123 nests. The rafters under the
eaves were covered by the nests in many places. The nests were placed one upon
another. The sill of one window had a row of nests upon i t ; and I observed one or
two nests affixed to the sides of the wwlls of tho house. The nest is very largo for so
small a bird. Tlie one I removed weighs two pounds; it stands 7 inches high, and is 6^
inches wide at the base. The nock is about 2^- inches long and 2 wide. The lining is
very scanty, scarcely sufficient to cover the bottom of the nest, and is composed of a few
bits of fine grasses with one or two feathers. The eggs which I found in tliis nest, in
which incubation had many days commenced, were three in number, white, thickly
speckled with reddish brown; they are ten twelfths of au inch long hy seven broad.
“ I never saw anything more beautiful than the appearance of a colony of these birds
in their curious-shaped nests, out of which project the heads of the owners at the slightest
alarm. It is by no means a shy bird ; while I was examining the nests they flew around
me like bees, almost touching my face, uttering piteous cries. I felt sorry to see the
distress of tho parent hirds whose nest I removed.
“ Of the nest I brought away I made a drawing, and sent copies of it to almost every
part of Peru, and in a short time I was in possession of many important facts respecting
its range in Peru. Unfortunately, about this time difficulties between Chili and Peru
commenced, and soon after broke out the terrible war of the Pacific. Personal observations
and postal inquiries became impossible. Since the departure of the Chilian army
and the return of tho Peruvian authorities, I have done all I could to add to my
knowledge of its range and habits, but I regret to say with little success. The colony
I first discovered was swept away, the bones of many of my friends are laid under the
battle-field, and the state of the country renders it unsafe to stray far from the city gates.
“ According to my present knowledge of this species, it seems to be confined to the
cultivated lands in the river districts of the narrow strips of arid country situated
betweeu tbe Pacific and the mouths of tho Andean valleys, from the southern border of
the great desert of Sccbura to the desert of Ica, from about 7° to 13 S. latitude. It is
remarkable tbat I have never been able to obtain any evidence that it builds its nest on
a rock or cliff, or that it is seen inside the mouth of the Andean valleys. The nest is
always found on human habitations. In the vicinity of Lima aud within twelve miles
of the walls there arc at present fourteen colonies.”
The description aud the figures iu the accompanying Plates have been taken from
the specimens presented to the British Aluseum by Professor Nation.