Mr. Gould has given the following account of the species in his ‘ llandhook,’ and
we cannot find that any additional information respecting it has been published since
that date:—
“ The White-hreasted Swallow is a very wandering species, never very numerous,
and is generally seen in small llocks of from ten to twenty in numher, sometimes in
company with the other Swallows. It usually flies very high, a circumstance which
renders it very diifieult to procure specimens. In "Western Australia this bird chooses
for its nest the deserted hole of either tho Dalgyte [Perctgalea lagotia) or the Boodee (a
species of Bettongia), but more generally drills holes in the sides of banks, like tho Sand-
IMartin of Europe. The holes are perfectly round, about two inches in diameter, run
liorizoiitally for three feet from the entrance, and then expand into a chamber or
reoejitacle for tho nest, which is constructed of the broad portions of dried grasses and
the dry dead leaves of trees. Hr. Johnson Drummond informed Gilbert that he had
froquontly found seven, eight, or nine eggs in a single nest, from which he inferred tliat
more tlian one female lays in the same n est: the eggs are white, somewhat lengthened,
and pointed in form. It would seem that the holes are not constructed exclusively for
the purpose of nidification, for upon Gilbert’s inserting a long grass-stalk into one of
them, five birds made their way out, all of which he succeeded in catching; upon his
digging to the extremity, in the hope of procuring their eggs, no nest was found, and
hence he concludes that their holes are also used as places of resort for the night.
'• Since this information was transmitted, I have received notices of this bird from
many otlier sources, which enable me to state with tolerable certainty that it is spread
(luring summer at least over the whole of the southern portion of the intc'rior, from
(¿ueensland to Swan liiver. Strange to say, however, I have never seen examples of
this species in any collectiou formed out of Australia ; yet the occurrence of a bird
whoso wing-powers are so great might naturally he expected in New Guinea or some of
tlie adjacent islands.”
The figure of the bird is drawn from a specimen in the Tweeddale collection, and
the descriptions are taken from examph^s in the British Museum.
A P P ENDI X
G E N U S C H E R A M CE C A.
C H E R A M C E C A L E U C O S T E R N U M p. 183],
Add:—
Cheramceca leucostemum, Sharpe & Wyatt, Monogr. Hirund. pt. xi. (1889); North.
Nests & Eggs Austr. B. p. 33 (1889)*.
Mr. N orth writes:—“ This species of Swallow is the only one with which I am
acquainted that is not migratory, heing found in this locality (Mossgiel, New South
Wales) and to the same extent as regards numbers all the year round. It is widely
distributed throughout the timbered or ‘ back ’ country, but is never found on the plains,
and is generally seen in small flocks of five or six in number. It breeds here duxang the
month of October, in holes in the sides of the entrances to the burrows of cither the
Betiongia or Peragalea, whether inhabited by these animals or not. I have never fouud
more than four eggs in a nest.
“ Three eggs taken by Mr. Bennett on October 19th, 1885, at Mossgiel, arc
p u r e white, and measure as f o l l o w s (a ) 0-GlxO--48 inch; (b ) 0-03x0-l8 inch;
(c) 0-61X 0-47 inch.
“ Specimens iu my possession, taken by Mr. Gardner in Soutli Australia, give the
same measurements.”
For tho geograpliioal distribution of this spccios, vide suprd, Plate 80 [Map].