P SA L ID O PR O C N E N IT E N S .
I I
Atticora nitens, Cass. Proc. Aead. Pbilad. 1857, p. 38 ; ilartl. Orn. AVestafr. p. 202
(1857); Cass. Proc. Philad. Acad. 1859, p. 33; Du Chaillu, Equat. Afr. p. 473
(1861).
Ilirundo nitens. Gray, Iland»!. U. i. p. 71, no. 831 (1809).
Psalidoprocne nitens, Sharpe, P .Z .S . 1870, p. 291 : id. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 010; id.
Ibis, 1872, p. 90 ; Ussher, Ibis, 1874, p. 61 ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. AIus. x.
p. 204 (1885).
P . v irid i-n ig ra : gulft fu sc e sc eu ti-g rise a : dorso p ileo concolore : su b a la rib u s pe c to ri coucoioribus : c au d a
b a u d fu rc a ta .
Hab. in A fric a occ identa li.
A d u lt male. G en e ra l colour above glossy b o ttle -g re e n o r g re en ish black ; le.sser win g -co v c rts lik e tho
b a ck ; rem a in d e r o f wing-coverts, q u ills, a n d ta il-fe a th e rs b la ck , edged w ith b o ttle -g re e n ; lo re s
velvety b la ck ; sides o f face, e a r-co v e rts , ch e ek s , a n d u n d e r su rfa c e o f body glossy b o ttle -g re e n ,
th e u n d e r wing-coverts b la ck glossed w ith g re eu ; q uills b la c k ish b c low ; th ro a t so o ty gi-ey.
T o ta l le n g th -i‘3 iuche s, cu lm eu 0 ’25, win g 3 '8 5 , ta il l '9 u , ta rsu s 0 '3 .
A d u lt fem a le . S im ila r to th e ma le in colour, b u t w a n tin g th e s aw -lik e edge to tb e f irs t p rim a ry .
Hab. AVest A fric a , from th e Gold Co a st to th e Congo.
AA'e know' so little of this species from the Gold Coast that a larger scries of specimens
will have to be examined before it can be ascertained for certain whether the square-
tailed Psalidoprocne from that region is really of the same species as the typical
P . nitens of Gaboon. At first sight it would appear that the individuals from the
Cameroons, Gaboon, and the Congo region differed in having the throat smoky brown
instead of greenish black, like the breast ; but tbe British Aluseum bas a specimen from
tbe Aluui River in Gaboon which appears to agree precisely with others from the Gold
Coast, and on that account we have not separated tlie two forms specifically.
From the other species of Psalidoprocne the present one is easily recognized by its
square tail. It was first discovered by AI. DuChaillu on the Aluni and Ogowc rivers in
Gaboon, aud it extends to the Congo region, as specimens collected at lAvudana by
AI. Petit are in the British Aluseum. It is likewise known from the Camcroons, w’hcre
the late Air. Crossley met witli it in January, and our late friend Governor Ussher found
it on the Gold Coast. li e writes :—“ Not uncommon in the morning on the gravelly
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