DENDROCHELIDON WALLACEL, Goud.

Wallace’s Tree Swift.

Dendrochelidon Wallacet, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Feb. 8, 1859.

 

Tue Tree Swifts have, with much propriety, been separated into a distinct genus, now comprising five well-
marked species, which some naturalists may opine might be even still further subdivided, by the separation
of D.mystaceus and D.comatus from the D. Klecho, D. coronatus, and the subject of the present paper,
D. Wallacei. Such a division, however, I do not think it necessary to institute; at the same time I do not
fail to observe its indication in the birds themselves.

After carefully comparing Indian specimens of D. coronatus and Javanese specimens of D. Alecho with
examples of a bird of the same form sent from Macassar by Mr. Wallace, I could come to no other conclusion
than that the latter is a very distinct and undescribed species, and I therefore took the opportunity of
naming the bird D. Wallaceo, in honour of its discoverer; not that there is any necessity for me to attempt
to perpetuate the name of this gentleman as a promoter of natural science, since his writings sufficiently
attest his devotion to more than one of its departments.

In size, the D. Wallacei far exceeds both the D. Klecho and the D. coronatus; besides which, it is readily
distinguished from either of them by the deep blue colouring of its shoulders and wings.

The only information we have respecting this bird is, that it is a native of Macassar, and that the sexes
exhibit the same difference in the colouring of the ear-coverts that is observable in the other species of the
genus. .

The male has the crown of the head deep green, with steel-blue reflexions ; lores black ; over each eye an
indistinct stripe of greyish white ; sides and back of the neck and the upper part of the back green, passing
into grey on the lower part of the back and rump, which colour again passes into the bluish green of the
upper tail-coverts ; below the ear a spot of chestnut ; shoulders blue, with reflexions of green; primaries
bluish black, with green reflexions ; tertiaries greyish white; tail bluish black; throat and under surface
grey, passing into greyish white on the vent and under tail-coverts ; bill and feet olive.

Total length, 10 inches ; bill, from gape to tip, +3 wing, 733 tail, 54.

The female is destitute of the chestnut ear-spot ; in other respects her colouring is similar to that of her
mate.

The figures are of the natural size.